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GREAT      BRITAIN     AND      IRELAND. 


VOL.    HI 


L  ()  N  D  ()  N  : 

willi  a  im    mac  k  1-.  n  7. 1  k.    uq,   l  u  dg  a t  k    hill. 
ki)inhur(;h    and    dublin. 


^   ^32-^  A     SERIES     OF 

Y.  &. 

PICTUBESQUE     VIEWS     OF 


SEATS 


OF 


THE    JSrOBLEMEN    AND    GENTLEMEN" 


OF 


GREAT     BRITAIN     AND     IRELAND. 


WITH    DESCRIPTIVE    AND    HISTORICAL    LETTERPRESS. 


EDITED  BY 

THE    REV.  F.  O.  MORRIS,    B.A., 

AUTHOR    OF  A  "HISTOKV  OP  BRITISH  BIRDS,"  DEDICATED   BY  PERMISSION  TO  HER  JIOST  GRACIOUS  MAJESTY  THE  QUEEN. 


VOL.    HI. 


LONDON: 
WILLIAM     MACKENZIE,    69,    LUDGATE     MILL. 

EDINBURGH     AND     DUBLIN. 


THE  LIBRARY 
BRIGHAM  YOUNG  U      ^RSITY 
^--^  EROyo.  UTAH 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Sandeingham. — His  Royal  Highness  the  Peixce  of  "Wales                  .                  .  .1 

CoMPTON  Vekney. — Lord  Willotjghby  de  Broke             ....  3 

Lambton  Castle. — Earl  of  Durham        .                  .                  ,                 .                  .  .5 

Mamhead. — Newman,  Baronet          ......  7 

Keele  Hall. — Snetd                .                 .                 .                 ,                 .                 .  .9 

SHiRBxrEN  Castle. — Earl  of  Macclesfield       .                  .                  .                  .                  .  H 

"WYifYAED  Park. — Marquis  of  Londonderry            .                  .                  ,                 .  .13 

HuTTON  Hall. — Pease      .                 .                 .                 .                 .                 .                 .  15 

MtTNCASTER  Castle. — Lord  Muncaster     .                 .                 .                 .                 .  .17 

BEAlfTINGHAM    ThORPE. SyKES             .                        .                        .                        .                       .                        .  19 

Helmingham  Hall. — Baron  Tollemache                 .                 .                 .                 .  .21 

Trafalgar  House. — Earl  Nelson    .                 .                 .                 .                 .                 .  23 

Broughton  Castle. — Lord  Sate  and  Sele              .                 .                 .                 .  .25 

Stowlangtoft  Hall. — Wilson          .                 .                 .                 .                 .                 .  27 

Capesthorne. — Davenport        .                  .                  .                  .                 .                 .  .29 

PoWERSCOURT. — VlSCOUNT    PoWERSCOURT                    .                        .                        .                       .                       .  31 

Studley  Castle. — Walker       .                 .                 .                 .                 .                 .  .33 

EsHTON  Hall. — Wilson,  Baronet                     .....  35 

Caen  Wood  Towers. — Brooke                  .                 .                 .                 .                 .  .37 

Birr  Castle. — Earl  of  Eosse          .                 .                 .  '               .                 .                 .  39 

Aeburt  Hall. — Newdegate     .                 .    '             .                 .                 .                 .  .41 

Weoxton  Abbey. — North                 .                 .                 .                 .                 •                 .  43 

CouGHTON  Court. — Throckmorton,  Baronet            .                 .                 .                 .  .45 

Euston  Hall. — Duke  of  Graftoij-                     .....  47 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


Sezincot. — RusHOUT,  Baeonet. 

KiMBOLTON  Castle. — Duke  of  Manchester 

"Westonbirt  House. — Holpoed 

"Wolseley  Hall. — Wolseley,  Baronet 

Dartrey. — Earl  of  Dartrey       .  . 

Mere  VALE  Hall. — Dugdale  .... 

Bestwood  Lodge. — Duke  of  St.  Albans 

RossMORE  Park. — Lord  Rossmore     .... 

Philiphaugh. — Murray,  Baronet 

Wynnstay. — Williams-Wynn,  Baronet 

Moreton  Hall. — Ackers  .... 

Hengraye  Hall. — Gage  .... 

Easton  Hall. — Cholmeley,  Baronet 

Preston  Hall. — Brassey  .... 

Lawton  Hall. — Lawton  .... 

St.  Michael's  Mount. — St.  Aubyn,  Baronet,     f  Vignette  Tltle-paye.) 


page 
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THE   COUNTY   SEATS. 


SANDRINGHAM, 

NEAR    LYNN,    NORFOLK. — HIS    ROYAL    HIGHNESS    THE    PRINCE    OF   WALES. 


I  HAVE  often  thouglit  to  myself  how  truly  the  words  of  Gray,  in  his  "Elegy 
in  a  Country  Churchyard," — the  most  beautiful  poem,  in  my  judgment,  that  ever 
has  been  or  ever   will   be  written  in  the  English  language, — apply  to  others  as  well 

as  to  . 

"the  rude  forefathers  of  the  hamlet" 

in  any  and  every  remote  corner  of  the  country  throughout  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  land.      Not  only  has  it  been  true  of  those  of  humble  rank  that 

"Adown  the  cool  sequestered  vale  of  life 
They  kept  the  noiseless  tenour  of  their  way," 

but  it  has  been  the  same — this  it  is  that  I  have  frequently  noticed  to  myself — with 
others  of  every  degree  above  them,  even  to  the  highest. 

Many  and  many  a  head  of  an  ancient  and  honourable  family  is  there  at  the  present 
time,  both  titled  and  untitled,  of  whose  name  even  not  one  person  in  every  ten 
thousand  you  would  ordinarily  meet  with  has  ever  heard.  But  they  are  known,  and 
well  known,  in  their  own  neighbourhoods.  They  are  content  to  live  a  '^ quiet  and 
peaceable  life,"  "the  world  forgetting,  by  the  world  forgot;"  and  to  "do  their  duty 
in  that  state  of  life  unto  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  call  them"  is  the  height 
of  their  ambition.  Theirs  is  a  happy  and  a  useful  career.  They  live  among  their 
tenantry,  have  a  care  for  their  welfare,  and  set  them  a  good  example:  they  do  that 
which  "England  expects  of  every  man." 

It  is  not  that  it  has  always  continued  to  be  so,  or  does  still,  or  must  always  thus 
continue.  From  time  to  time  a  Milton  is  no  longer  mute,  and  a  "village  Hampden" 
III.  B 


2  SANDKINGHAM. 

of  "dauntless  breast"  stands  forward  on  the  stage  of  the  world's  history,  and  leaves 
an  undying  name  behind  him,  soon,  if  not  at  once,  to  be  followed  by  those  who 
will  retire,  from  choice  it  may  be,  into  that  "quiet  living '^  in  the  country,  which 
is  the  happiest  state  that  a  man  can  live  in. 

Thus  it  was  with  the  family  of  Cromwell  himself.  His  ancestors,  though  respectable, 
lived  as  quiet  country  gentlemen,  "unnoticed  and  unknown,^^  "guiltless  of  their 
country's  blood,"  and  his  son  wisely  gave  up  the  crown  to  its  rightful  owner,  and, 
having  retired  into  private  life,  so  died  as  he  had  lived.  Thus  it  was  with  Wellington, 
with  Nelson,  with  Shakespeare,  and  with  Scott,  and  with  those  who  went  before 
and  those  who  followed  them,  and  so  doubtless  it  will  be  age  after  age. 

And  as  it  has  been  with  persons,  so  also  with  places,  the  latter  indeed  only 
through  the  former:  the  name  of  the  "local  habitation"  obtains  its  own  celebrity 
on  account  of  that  of  him  whose  words  or  deeds  have  made  it  famous  at  one  and 
the  same  time  that  he  has  immortalized  his   own. 

I  have  been  led  to  make  this  remark  in  carrying  on  the  second  set  of  these 
volumes,  beginning,  as  it  properly  does,  with  the  present  account  of  the  residence 
of  the  eldest  son  of  the  reigning  Sovereign,  from  having  similarly  observed  in  the 
previous  one  that  the  E-oyal  residence  of  Balmoral,  as  the  Queen's  abode,  has  now 
its  name  known  in  every  corner  of  the  earth,  whereas  before  it  became  so,  it  was 
absolutely  unheard  of  and  altogether  unknown  beyond  its  own  immediate  neighbourhood. 

So  it  has  been  with  Sandringham,  the  private  seat  of  His  Royal  Highness  the 
Prince  of  Wales.     Who  does  not  know  its  name  now?     Who  ever  heard  of  it  before? 

I  need  not  say  much,  either  of  the  place  itself  or  of  its  Royal  owner,  for  the 
picture  of  it  will  I  hope  convey  a  good  idea  of  the  former  to  my  readers,  and  the 
eldest  son  of  the  Queen  of  England  has  already  a  world-wide  history,  and  needs  no 
other  to  be  written  of  him,  or  of  the  princely  race  of  which  he  has  come. 

In  "Domesday  Book"  the  name  of  the  place  appears  as  Santdersincham,  which 
seems  to  point  to  a  common  origin  with  that  of    the  adjoining  parish  of  Dersingham. 

The  village  lies  a  little  way  fi'om  the  foot  of  some  sand  hills,  which  no  doubt 
have  given  to  it  its  distinguishing  name,  and  the  grounds  of  the  house  have  the 
customary  attractions  of  English  scenery,  hill  and  dale,  wood  and  water.  The  Church 
and  Rectory  adjoin  the  place,  embowered  in  foliage,  the  common  accompaniment  in 
like  manner  of  the  retired  country  Parsonage. 

On  a  clear  day  the  noble  tower  of  Boston  Church  is  plainly  to  be  seen,  standing 
up  as  it  does  from  the  level  plain  to  which  it  is  such  a  great  and  striking  orna- 
ment, as  if  from  the  neighbouring  ocean  itself,  a  well-known  landmark  as  it  at  the 
same  time  is  to  those  that  "go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  and  occupy  their  business 
in  great  waters." 

Nothing  but  good  taste  could  be  looked  for  from  the  son  of  the  late  Prince 
Consort,  and  such  an  expectation  will  be  found  to  have  been  met  and  fulfilled  in 
the  improvements  that  have  been  made  at  Sandringham  by  the  Prince  of  Wales. 


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COMPTON    YEENEY, 

NEAR    KINETON,    WARWICKSHIRE. — LORD   WILLOUGHBY    DE    BROKE. 


"CoMPTON  Muedale"  being  the  original  name  of  this  place,  the  derivation  of  it 
is  thus  given  by  Dugdale  in  his  "History  of  Warwickshire:^^ — ''This  taking  its 
name,  as  all  other  Comptons  do,  from  the  situation  in  or  near  some  deep  valley, 
hath  had  the  addition  of  Murdale  to  distinguish  it  from  the  many  other  Comptons 
in  this  county,  in  the  regard  that  the  family  of  Murdale  were  antiently  owners 
thereof."  The  word  'Compton'  is,  in  fact,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  a  combination  of 
the  two  words  'coombe'  and  'town,^  the  former  indicating  a  valley,  or  glen,  in  which 
sense  it  is  very  commonly  used  in  Devonshire,  as  also  more  or  less  in  other  counties. 
Thus  in  Yorkshire  a  narrow  gorge  of  this  kind,  appropriately  called  "Cleaving 
Coombe,"  occurs  on  the  road  between  Nunburnholme  and  Londesborough.  At  what 
date  the  name  was  changed  to  that  of  Compton  Verney  there  is  no  certainty,  but 
in  all  probability  it  was  at  the  time  of  the  house  being  rebuilt,  as  Dugdale 
writes  of  it  in  one  of  his  three  volumes,  published  respectively  in  the  years  1655, 
1661,  and  1673,  as  Compton  Murdale. 

In  the  time  of  William  the  Conqueror  it  belonged  to 

Earl  Nellent,  from  whom  it  came  to  his  brother, 

Henry  de  Newburgh,  Earl  of  Warwick,  whose  son  and  successor, 

Roger,  Earl  of  Warwick,  towards  the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of  Henry  the  First, 
granted  it   to 

Robert  Murdale  and  his  heirs.  It  remained  in  the  possession  of  this  family  until 
the  reign  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  when  it  appears  to  have  passed  into  the  hands  of 

Richard  Verney  Esq.,  (a  member  of  a  Worcestershire  family,)  who  built  a  large 
part  of  the  house  as  it  stood  until  about  1770.  This  Richard  Verney  was  afterwards 
Knighted  for  services  done  to  the  king.     In  1695, 

Sir  Richard  Verney,  the  then  owner  of  Compton  Verney,  having  married  Margaret 
Greville  (sister  and  heir  to  Fulke  Greville,  Lord  Broke,)  claimed,  through  her,  and 
obtained  the  Barony  of  Willoughby  de  Broke,  the  title  now  held  by  the  present 
owner. 

The  old  house  and  chapel  were  completely  rebuilt  by  John  Verney,  Lord 
Willoughby  de  Broke,  about  the  year  above  named;  he  also  laid  out  the  grounds 
much  as  they  now  remain. 

The  house  stands    in  a  very  picturesque    situation,  but    beyond  a  fine  entrance  hall. 


4  COMPTON    VERNEY. 

which  runs  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  building,  there  is  nothing  remarkable  in 
the  interior.  The  stained  glass  windows  in  the  chapel  (taken  from  the  original  one) 
are  many  of  them  curious  and  of  great  antiquity. 

There  are  here  some  fine  paintings:  among  others,  one  of  Sir  R.  Heath,  by  Jansenj 
another  of  Queen  Elizabeth;  one  of  Sir  Fulke  Greville,  Lord  Broke;  besides  other 
good  family  portraits. 

The  pleasure  grounds  are  extensive,  presenting  a  variety  of  surface,  and  abounding 
in  wood  as  well  as  water,  without  which  in  combination  no  landscape,  however  beautiful 
in  itself,  is  complete. 

The  line  of  descent  of  the  title  in  this  ancient  family  is  as  follows: — 

Sir  Richard  Verney,  of  Compton  Murdale,  married  Margaret,  sole  heiress  of  her 
brother,  Lord  Broke. 

Sir  Greville  Verney. 

Sir  Richard  Verney,  restored  to  the  Barony  of  Willoughby  de  Broke,  as  tenth 
Baron. 

The  Honourable  and  Rev.  George  Verney,  eleventh  Baron. 

Richard  Verney,  twelfth  Baron. 

John  Peyto  Verney,  thirteenth  Baron. 

John  Peyto  Verney,  fourteenth  Baron. 

Henry  Peyto  Verney,  fifteenth  Baron. 

Robert  John  Verney,  sixteenth  Baron, 

Henry  Verney,  seventeenth  Baron. 


I 


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.-4 


LAM  ETON    CASTLE, 


DURHAM. EARL    OF   DURHAM. 


Lambton  Castle,  built  from  the  designs  of  Ignatius  Bonomi,  on  the  site  of 
Harraton  Hall — anciently  the  residence  of  the  D^Arcys  and  Hedworths — occupies  an 
eminence  ovei'hanging-  the  river  Wear,  and  is  almost  completely  sheltered  by  the 
woods  which  crown  the  valley.  On  the  west,  where  the  banks  recede,  the  hills  of 
the  moors  are  seen  bounding  the  horizon. 

The  bridge,  erected  by  John  George  Lambton,  Esq.,  over  the  river  in  the  valley 
beneath  the  castle,  from  whence  it  is  visible,  forms  a  beautiful  feature  in  the 
landscape. 

The  rooms  of  the  castle,  arranged  with  great  elegance  and  attention  to  comfort, 
contain  many  valuable  paintings,  among  which  are  two  by  Domenichino,  one  by 
Bassano,  one  by  Titian,  one  by  Raphael,  two  by  Bothe,  one  by  Salvator  Rosa,  one 
by  Giorgione,  one  by  Baroccio,  one  by  Breughels;  etc.,  etc.,  and  several  excellent 
pictures  by  Glover  and  other  English  artists. 

The  demesne  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Lambtons  before  the  Conquest,  and 
has  remained  in  that  family  through  an  uninterrupted  line  of  succession. 

The  well  known  story  of  the  Lambton  eft,  water-wyvern,  or  water  snake,  is  thus 
told  by  Surtees: — "The  heir  of  Lambton,  fishing,  as  was  his  profane  custom,  in  the 
Wear,  on  a  Sunday,  hooked  a  small  worm,  or  eft,  which  he  carelessly  threw  into  a 
well,  and  thought  no  more  of  the  adventure.  The  worm  (at  first  neglected)  grew 
till  it  was  too  large  for  its  first  habitation,  and  issuing  from  the  Worm  Well,  betook 
itself  to  the  Wear,  where  it  usually  lay  a  part  of  the  day  coiled  round  a  crag  in 
the  middle  of  the  water;  it  also  frequented  a  green  mound  near  the  well  (the  Worm 
Hill),  where  it  lapped  itself  nine  times  round,  leaving  vermicular  traces,  of  which 
grave  living  witnesses  depose  that  they  have  seen  the  vestiges.  It  now  became  the 
terror  of  the  country,  and,  amongst  other  enormities,  levied  a  daily  contribution  of 
nine  cows'  milk,  which  was  always  placed  for  it  at  the  green  hill,  and  in  default  of 
which  it  devoured  man  and  beast.  Young  Lambton  had,  it  seems,  meanwhile  totally 
repented  him  of  his  former  life  and  conversation,  had  bathed  himself  in  a  bath  of 
holy  water,  taken  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  and  joined  the  Crusaders.  On  his  return 
home,  he  was  extremely  shocked  at  witnessing  the  effects  of  his  youthful  imprudences, 
and   immediately    undertook    the    adventure.      After    several     fierce    combats,    in    which 


6  LAMBTON    CASTLE. 

the  Crusader  was  foiled  by  his  enemy^s  power  of  self-union,  he  found  it  expedient 
to  add  policy  to  courage,  and  not  perhaps  possessing  much  of  the  former,  he  went 
to  consult  a  witch,  or  wise  woman. 

''By  her  judicious  advice,  he  armed  himself  in  a  coat  of  mail  studded  with  razor- 
blades;  and  thus  prepared,  placed  himself  on  the  crag  in  the  river,  and  awaited  the 
monster's  arrival.  At  the  usual  time,  the  worm  came  to  the  rock  and  wound  himself 
with  great  fury  round  the  armed  knight,  who  had  the  satisfaction  to  see  his  enemy 
cut  in  pieces  by  his  own  efforts,  whilst  the  stream,  washing  away  the  severed  parts, 
prevented  the  possibility  of  re-union.  There  is  still  a  sequel  to  the  story:  the  witch 
had  promised  Lambton  success  only  on  one  condition, — that  he  should  slay  the  first 
living  thing  which  met  his  sight  after  the  victory.  To  avoid  the  possibility  of 
human  slaughter,  Lambton  had  directed  his  father  that  as  soon  as  he  heard  him 
sound  three  blasts  on  his  bugle  in  token  of  the  achievement  performed,  he  should 
release  his  favourite  greyhound,  which  would  immediately  fly  to  the  sound  of  the 
horn,  and  was  destined  to  be  the  sacrifice.  On  hearing  his  son's  bugle,  however,  the 
old  chief  was  so  overjoyed  that  he  forgot  the  injunction,  and  ran  himself  with  open 
arms  to  meet  his  son.  Instead  of  committing  a  parricide,  the  conqueror  again 
repaired  to  his  adviser,  who  pronounced  as  the  alternative  of  disobeying  the  original 
instructions,  that  no  chief  of  the  Lambtons  should  die  in  his  bed  for  seven,  or  (as 
some  accounts  say,)  for  nine  generations — a  commutation  which  to  a  martial  spirit 
had  nothing  very  terrible,  and  which  was  willingly  complied  with.'' 

On  this  legend  Sir  Bernard  Burke  remarks: — "The  subject  matter  of  the  exploit 
may  be  equally  a  Danish  rover,  a  domestic  tyrant,  or,  as  in  the  well-known  case 
of  the  Dragon  of  Wantley,  a  villainous  overgrown  lawyer,  endowed  with  all  the 
venom,  maw,  and  speed  of  a  flying  eft,  whom  the  gallant  'Moor  of  Moor  Hall' 
slew  'with  nothing  at  all'  but  the  aid  of  a  good  conscience  and  a  'fair  maid  of 
sixteen.'" 


MAMHEAD, 

NEAR  EXMOUTHj  DEVONSHIRE. NEWMAN,,  BARONET. 


Th^  palatial  seat  of  Sir  Lydston  Newman,  Bart.,  though  perhaps  not  so  picturesque 
as  his  favourite  marine  residence  of  Stokeley. 

Mamhead,  in  Domesday  Book  ''Mameorde/'  is  thus  pronounced  by  the  common 
people  at  this  very  day.     It  appears  to  mean  "head-land.'^ 

The  beauties  of  the  site  may  be  gathered  from  the  subjoined  extract  from  "A  Poem 
written  at  Mamhead  beneath  an  evergreen  oak  in  1785/^  by  the  Rev.  R.  Polwhele. 

"Here,  Laura,  rest,  our  wearied  feet  have  strayed 
From  the  proud  obelisk  that  fronts  the  scene 
Of  many  a  tufted  hill,  whose  bolder  green 
The  sweet  perspective  mixed  in  mellow  shade, 
While  sparkling  through  the  stately  fir-trees  played 
The  burnished  hamlets  of  the  vale  between; 
And  all  the  misty  bosom  of  the  glade 
Seemed  opening  to  the  azure  sea  serene." 

The  mansion  was  rebuilt  in  1832  by  the  father  of  the  present  Baronet,  from  a 
design  by  Anthony  Salvin.  It  is  composed  of  Bath  stone,  very  skilfully  wrought. 
The  tall  chimney  stacks  and  gables,  highly  ornamented,  present  a  variety  of  different 
forms,  being  relieved  by  two  square  and  octagonal  towers,  rising  with  extremely 
good  effect.  There  are  four  fronts  to  the  edifice,  uniform  in  design  but  varied  in 
detail.  The  southern  front  is  terminated  by  a  conservatory.  The  eastern  front  is 
exceedingly  grand.  The  large  window  of  the  staircase  is  filled  with  heraldic  designs 
in  painted  glass  by  Willement.  The  whole  building  is  raised  upon  terraces,  whence 
the  Isle  of  Portland  can  be  seen  in  the  distance,  while  in  the  foreground  are  the 
park,  Powderham,  and  the  river  Exe  winding  to  the  channel.  The  stabling  and  other 
offices  are  built  in  the  castellated  style.  The  architect  was  evidently  acquainted  with 
the  principles  of  taste  as  developed  in  the  works  of  the  great  masters,  where  an 
endless  variety  is  found  in  combination  with  perfect  harmony  in  the  same  picture. 

The  family  of  Newman  is  of  great  antiquity.      So  early  as  the  reigns  of  Henry  the 

■  Sixth  and    Henry  the  Seventh,  Thomas  and  William  Newman  appear  from  the   public 

records  of   Dartmouth  to  have  been  settled  in  that  town.     Over  the   remains  of  John 

Newman,   who  was   buried   at  St.  Petrox,  6th.  April,  1640,  are  to   be   seen    the   arms 

now  borne  by  the  family. 


8  MAMHEAD. 

The  father  of  the  present  Baronet^  Sir  Robert  William  Newman,  married  in  1813, 
Mary  Jane,  daughter  of  Richard  Denne,  Esq.,  of  Winchelsea,  in  Sussex,  by  Ann  his 
wife,  daughter  of  the  Venerable  William  Rastall,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Southwell,  a  lineal 
descendant  of  Chief  Justice  Rastall. 

The  ancient  family  of  the  Dennes  is  descended  from  Ralph  de  Dene,  living  in  the 
time  of  the  Conqueror,  Lord  of  Buckhurst,  in  Sussex,  who  wedded  Sybella,  sister 
of  Robert  de  Gatton,  and  had  a  son  Robert,  his  heir,  and  a  daughter  Ella,  married 
to  Sir  J.  Sackville,  ancestor  of  the  Dukes  of  Dorset. 

Sir  Robert  William  Newman,  who  was  some  time  M.P.  for  Exeter,  and  High  Sheriff 
of  the  County  of  Devon  in  1827,  was  created  a  Baronet  March  17th.,  1836.  He  died 
in  1848,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

Sir  Robert  Lydston  Newman,  a  Captain  in  the  Grenadier  Guards,  who  fell  at  the 
Battle  of  Inkermann,  5th.  November,  1854,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother,  the 
present  and  third  Baronet, 

Sir  Lydston  Newman,  Deputy-Lieutenant  for  Devon,  late  a  captain  in  the  7th. 
Hussars,  and  High  Sheriff  of  the  County  of  Devon  in  1871.  Sir  Lydston  Newman 
is  married,  and,  beside  daughters,  has  issue  a  son,  Robert  Hunt  Stapylton  Dudley 
Lydston  Newman,  born  1871. 


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KEELE    HALL, 

NEAE   NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE,    STAFFORDSHIRE. SNEYD. 


The  Manor  of  Keele  was  granted  by  King  Henry  the  Second^  A.D.  1180,  to  the 
Knights  Templars,  and  on  the  suppression  of  that  order  passed  into  the  possession 
of  the  Knights  Hospitallers,  who  held  it  until  their  property  was  confiscated,  at  the 
Reformation,  by  King  Henry  the  Eighth,  who  sold  Keele  to  Sir  William  Sneyd, 
Knight,  of  Bradwell.  His  son  and  heir,  Ralph  Sneyd,  Esq.,  "built  there,^'  as  stated 
by  Erdeswick,  "a  very  proper  and  fine  house  of  stone,"  which  was  completed  in  1581, 
and  of  which  a  view,  engraved  by  Michael  Burghers  in  1686,  is  given  in  Plot's 
History  of  Staffordshire.  Keele  was  plundered  during  the  Civil  Wars,  and  narrowly 
escaped  demolition  by  Cromwell's  troops,  when  its  then  owner,  Colonel  Ralph  Sneyd, 
who  was  a  devoted  adherent  to  the  cause  of  King  Charles  the  First,  suffered  heavy 
losses  on  account  of  his  loyalty. 

The  old  hall  was  finally  taken  down  in  1855,  by  the  late  Ralph  Sneyd,  Esq.,  who 
re-erected  on  its  site,  and  in  the  same  style  of  architecture,  the  present  noble  mansion. 

Keele  Hall  is  built  of  a  pale  red  sandstone,  relieved  with  white  stone.  It  is  finely 
situated  on  elevated  ground,  commanding  extensive  views  to  the  south  and  west, 
and  is  surrounded  by  a  well-wooded  park  of  six  hundred  acres.  The  gardens  and 
pleasure  grounds  are  extensive,  and  well  kept. 

The  house,  which  is  entered  from  a  court,  through  a  spacious  hall,  thirty  feet  high, 
and  hung  with  family  portraits,  contains  a  fine  suite  of  rooms,  richly  famished  and 
decorated,  and  stored  with  many  precious  works  of  art.  The  library  is  extensive 
and  valuable,  comprising  a  rare  collection  of  ancient  manuscripts.  The  house  also 
contains  a  good  collection  of  pictures  by  the  old  masters;  amongst  which  may  be 
mentioned  original  full-length  portraits  of  Cortez;  of  King  Henry  the  Eighth;  Charles 
the  Fii'st,  by  Honthorst;  a  Dake  of  Ferrara,  by  Zucchero;  Lorenzo  Priuli,  Doge  of 
Venice,  by  Tintoretto;  Ralph  Sneyd,  the  builder  of  the  old  house,  by  Cornelius 
Jansen;  two  portraits  by  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds;  besides  many  choice  cabinet  pictures 
of  the  English,  Flemish,  and  Italian  schools. 

The  ancient  family  of  Sneyd,  which  has  continued  during  six  centuries  in  direct 
male  descent  from  Henry  de  Sneyde,  who  lived  in  the  reign  of  King  Edward  the 
First,  was  formerly  seated  at  Bradwell,  in  the  parish  of  Wolstanton,  but  removed 
from  thence,  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  to  Keele,  which  has  ever  since  been 
the  chief  family  residence. 

III.  C 


10  KEELE    HALL. 

The  genealogy  of  this  old  family  in  a  direct  line  is  as  follows : — 

Henry  de  Sneyde,  of  Sneyde  and  Tunstall,  living  in  1310,  married  Margaret, 
daughter  and  heiress  of  Nicholas  de  Tunstall,  by  whom  he  had 

Nicholas  de  Sneyde,  alias  Tunstall.     He  was  father  of 

Richard  de  Tunstall,  alias  Sneyde.     His  son  and  heir, 

EiCHARD  Sneyde,  of  Bradwell  and  Tunstall,  was  followed  by 

William  Sneyde,  of  Bradwell,  who  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

Richard  Sneyde,  of  Bradwell,  who,  by  Agnes  his  wife,  was  father  of 

Nicholas  Sneyde,  of  Bradwell,  living  in  1473.  He  married  Margaret,  daughter  and 
coheiress  of  Robert  Downes,  of  Shrigley,  Cheshire,  and  left  a  son, 

William  Sneyde,  of  Chester,  who  married  Johanna,  daughter  and  heiress  of  Roger 
Ledsham,  Gentleman,  of  Chester,  and  had  with  other  children, 

Richard  Sneyde,  of  Bradwell,  Recorder  of  Chester,  who,  by  his  wife,  Anne  Fowle- 
hurst,  of  Crewe,  had  an  eldest  son. 

Sir  William  Sneyde,  Knight,  of  Bradwell,  High  Sheriff  of  StaflPordshire,  3  Edward 
VI.,  and  5  and  6  Philip  and  Mary.  He  married,  first,  Anne,  daughter  and  heiress  of 
Thomas  Barrowe,  Esq.,  of  Flookersbrooke,  near  Chester,  and  had  by  her, 

Ralph  Sneyde,  of  Keele  and  Bradwell,  born  in  1564,  High  Sheriff,  18  and  37 
Elizabeth,  who,  by  his  first  wife,  Mary,  daughter  of  Thomas  Chetwynd,  of  Ingestrie, 
had  a  son  and  heir, 

Ralph  Sneyde,  of  Bradwell  and  Keele,  who  married  Felicia,  daughter  of  Nicholas 
Archbald,  of  Uttoxeter.     Their  son, 

Ralph  Sneyde,  of  Keele  and  Bradwell,  Colonel  in  the  Royal  Army,  married  Jane, 
daughter  of  Roger  Downes,  Esq.,  of  Wordley,  and  had 

William  Sneyd,  of  Keele,  born  in  1612.  His  wife  was  Elizabeth,  daughter  and 
coheiress  of  Robert  Audeley,  of  Gransden,  in  Huntingdonshire,  and  by  her  he  had 

Ralph  Sneyd,  of  Keele,  married  to  Frances,  daughter  of  Sir  Robert  Dryden,  Bart., 
of  Canons  Ashby,  Northamptonshire,  and  had 

Ralph  Sneyd,  of  Bradwell,  born  December  22nd.,  1669,  who  married  Frances, 
daughter  of  Sir  William  Noel,  Bart.,  of  Kirkby  Mallory,  in  the  county  of  Leicester, 
and  dying  before  his  father,  had  a  son,  heir  to  the  latter, 

Ralph  Sneyd,  of  Keele,  baptized  in  May,  1692,  who  married  Anne,  daughter  of 
Allen  Halford,  Esq.,  of  Davenham,  Cheshire,  whose  surviving  son, 

Ralph  Sneyd,  of  Keele,  born  in  1723,  married,  in  1749,  Barbara,  daughter  of  Sir 
Walter  Longstaffe,  Bart.,  and  by  her  had,  with  other  children, 

Walter  Sneyd,  of  Keele,  born  February  11th.,  1752,  M.P.  for  Castle  Rising,  High 
Sheriff  of  Staffordshire,  1814,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Staffordshire  Militia.  He 
married.  May  9th.,  1786,  the  Honourable  Louisa  Bagot,  daughter  of  William,  first 
Lord   Bagot,  and  had 

Ralph  Sneyd,  of  Keele,  D.L.,  born  October  9th.,  1793,  High  Sheriff  of  Staffordshire, 
1844,  who  died  unmarried  July,  1870,  and  was  followed  by  his   brother. 

The  Rev.  Walter  Sneyd,  M.A.,  F.S.A.,  born  July  23rd.,  1809,  married,  October 
14th.,  1856,  Henrietta  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Richard  Malone  Sneyd,  Esq.,  of  Cherry- 
vale,  in  the  county  of  Donegal,  and  has  with  other  children  a  son,  Ralph^  born 
December  10th.,   1863. 


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SHIRBURN    CASTLE, 

NEAR    TETSWORTHj    OXFORDSHIRE. EARL    OF    MACCLESFIELD. 


Leland  writes^  "Shirburne,  within  a  mile  of  Wathelington  church,  where  is  a  strong 
pile,  or  castlet,  longed  to  Quatremain,  since  to  Fowler,  and  by  exchange,  now  to 
Chamberlain  of  Oxfordshire." 

Camden  states,  that  "the  Chamberlains  were  descended  from  the  Earls  of  Tankervil, 
who,  bearing  the  office  of  Chamberlain  to  the  Dukes  of  Normandy,  their  posterity, 
laying  aside  the  old  name  of  Tankervil,  called  themselves  Chamberlain,  from  the  said 
office  which  their  ancestors  enjoyed.^'' 

It  appears,  that,  in  the  fifty-first  year  of  Edward  the  Third,  Sir  Wariner  de  L'Isle, 
Knight,  obtained  permission  to  build  a  castle  at  Shirburn,  where  his  ancestor,  Wariner 
de  L^Isle,  in  the  tenth  year  of  the  same  king,  had  a  charter  of  free-warren,  and 
leave  to  enclose  one  hundred  acres  of  woodland  for  a  park. 

Shirburn  Castle  is  nearly  in  the  form  of  a  parallelogram,  and  the  whole  building 
is  encompassed  by  a  broad  and  deep  moat.  The  approaches  are  over  three  draw- 
bridges, and  the  chief  entrance  is  guarded  by  a  portcullis.  At  each  angle  of  the 
edifice  is  a  circular  tower.  Flat  ranges  of  stone-building  occupy  the  intervals,  and 
along  the  whole  top  is  an  embattled  parapet. 

In  the  twelfth  volume  of  the  "Beauties  of  England  and  Wales,''  Mr.  Brewer,  the 
able  writer  of  the  account  of  Oxfordshire,  states,  that  "the  interior  of  Shirburn 
Castle  is  disposed  in  a  style  of  modern  elegance  and  comfort  that  contains  no 
allusion  to  the  external  castellated  character  of  the  structure,  with  an  exception  of 
one  long  room  fitted  up  as  an  armoury.  On  the  sides  of  this  apartment  are  hung 
various  pieces  of  mail,  together  with  shields,  tilting-spears,  and  offensive  arms,  of 
modern  as  well  as  ancient  date.  The  rooms  are  in  general  well  proportioned,  but 
not  of  very  large  dimensions.  There  are  two  capacious  libraries,  well  furnished  with 
books,  and  tastefully  adorned  with  paintings  and  sculpture.  Among  the  portraits  are 
several  of  the  Lord  Chancellor  Macclesfield,  and  an  original  of  Catharine  Parr, 
Queen  to  Henry  the  Eighth.  She  is  represented  standing  behind  a  highly  embellished 
vacant  chair,  with  her  hand  on  the  back.  Her  dress  is  black,  richly  ornamented 
with  precious  stones.  The  fingers  are  loaded  with  rings;  and  in  one  hand  is  a 
handkerchief,  edged  with  deep  lace.  Inserted  in  the  lower  part  of  the  frame,  and 
carefully  covered  with  glass,  is  an  interesting  appendage  to  this  portrait:  a  piece  of 
hair  cut  from   the    head   of    Catharine    Parr,   in    the   year    1799,    when    her    coffin  was 


12  SHIRBURN    CASTLE. 

opened    at    Sudeley    Castle.      The    hair    is    auburn,    and    matches    exactly    with    that 
delineated  in  the  picture. 

Shirburn  Castle  was  honoured   with   a   visit  from   the  Queen  and  Princesses,  in  the 
summer  of  1808.'' 


George  Parker,  Esq.,  of  Park  Hall,  in  Staffordshire,  was  father  of 

Thomas  Parker,  Esq.,  of  Leke,  in  the  same  county,  whose  son  was 

Thomas  Parker,  first  Earl  of  Macclesfield,  who  may  be  considered  as  the  founder 
of  the  family.  The  castle  and  manor  of  Shirburn  were  purchased  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  last  century  by  him.  He  was  bred  to  the  law,  called  to  the  degree  of 
Sergeant  in  1705,  constituted  Chief  Justice  of  the  King's  Bench  1709-10,  by  Queen 
Anne,  and  appointed  Lord  Chancellor  by  George  the  First  in  1718.  He  was  created 
Baron  Macclesfield,  March  9th.,  1716,  and  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  Viscount 
Parker  and  Earl  of  Macclesfield,  November  15th.,  1721.  He  died  in  1732,  having 
married  Janet,  daughter  and  coheiress  of  Charles  Carrier,  Esq.,  of  Wirkworth,  in 
Derbyshire.     His  son, 

George  Parker,  the  second  Earl,  was  President  of  the  Royal  Society,  and  LL.D. 
of  the  University  of  Oxford,  and  was  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  part  which  he  took 
in  the  alteration  of  the  style  in  1750.  He  was  also  author  of  "Remarks  on  the  Polar 
and  Lunar  Years,"  etc.  He  married,  first,  1722,  Mary,  elder  daughter  and  coheiress 
of  Ralph  Lane,  Esq.,  an  eminent  Turkey  merchant. 

Thomas  Parker,  the  third  Earl,  who  succeeded  to  the  title,  March  17th.,  1764, 
married,  December  12th.,  1749,  his  cousin  Mary,  eldest  daughter  of  Sir  William 
Heathcote,  Bart.,  and  had  issue  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  He  dying  February 
9th.,  1795,  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

George  Parker,  fourth  Earl,  who  married,  may  25th.,  1780,  Mary  Frances,  daughter 
and  coheiress  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Drake,  D.D.,  Rector  of  Amersham,  Buckinghamshire, 
but  having  no  son,  was  succeeded  in  the  title  by  his  only  brother, 

Thomas  Parker,  fifth  Earl,  born  June  9th.,  1763,  High  Steward  of  Henley,  who 
married,  first,  the  eldest  daughter  of  Lewis  Edwards,  Esq.,  of  Talgarth,  by  whom  he 
had  four  daughters;  and  secondly,  March  19th.,  1807,  EHza,  youngest  daughter  of 
William  Breton-Wolstenholme,  Esq.,  of  Holly  Hill,  Sussex,  and  left  with  two  daughters, 
a  son, 

Thomas  Augustus  Wolstenholme  Parker,  born  March  17th.,  1811,  who  succeeded 
as  sixth  Earl. 


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WYNYARD    PAEK, 

NEAR    STOCKTON-ON-TEESj    DURHAM. MARQUIS    OP    LONDONDERRY. 


Wynyard  Park  is  the  principal  residence  of  tlie  Marquis  of  Londonderry^  whose 
father,  Charles,  the  third  Marquis,  became  possessed  of  Wynyard,  and  large  estates 
and  collieries  in  the  county  of  Durham,  by  his  marriage  with  the  Lady  Frances  Anne 
Vane  Tempest,  only  child  of  Sir  Henry  Vane  Tempest,  Bart.,  and  the  Countess  of 
Antrim. 

The  park,  about  two  thousand  acres  in  extent,  affords  much  varied  and  beautiful 
scenery,  with  some  fine  views  of  the  Cleveland  Hills  in  Yorkshire. 

About  the  centre  of  the  park,  and  on  the  margin  of  a  large  artificial  lake,  whose 
sloping  banks  are  planted  with  a  great  variety  of  evergreens  and  other  ornamental 
trees,  stands  the  house,  a  large  and  splendid  mansion  of  Corinthian  architecture, 
erected  by  the  late  Marquis  on  the  site  of  an  older  seat. 

The  north  front  is  graced  by  a  portico,  consisting  of  twelve  handsome  columns 
surmounted  by  an  entablature. 

The  sculpture  gallery,  a  magnificent  apartment  one  hundred  feet  long  and  fifty- 
eight  feet  high,  which  forms  the  centre  of  the  mansion,  is  octagonal,  and  has  a 
double  dome,  with  a  lantern  of  very  beautiful  stained  glass  in  the  centre. 

The  south  front  measures  three  hundred  feet  in  length.  It  looks  over  large  and 
handsome  terraces,  and  down  upon  the  lake,  which  is  here  spanned  by  a  very 
graceful  chain  bridge. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  mansion  are  the  gardens,  which  cover  a  space 
of  thirteen  acres,  in  addition  to  the  extensive  pleasure  grounds. 

Wynyard  Park  is  seven  miles  distant  from  the  town  of  Stockton-on-Tees,  the 
border  river  between  the  county  of  Durham  and  Yorkshire. 


The  descent  of  the  family  of  the  Marquis  of  Londonderry  is  as  follows: — 

John   Stewart,   Esq.,   of  Ballylawn    Castle,  in  the    County  of  Donegal,  the  first   of 
his  family  who  settled  in  Ireland,  was  succeeded  at  his  decease  by  his  eldest  son, 

Charles  Stewart,  Esq.,  whose  great  great  grandson, 

Alexander  Stewart,  Esq.,  of  Mount  Stewart,  in  the  County  of  Down,  born  in  the 
year  1709,  married  the  30th.  of  June,  1737,  Mary,  only  surviving  daughter  of 
Alderman  John  Cowan,  of  Londonderry,  and  sister  and  heiress  of  Sir  Robert  Cowan, 
Knight,  Governor  of  Bombay,  and  had,  with  other  children. 


14  WYNYARD    PARK. 

The  Right  Honourable  Robert  Stewart,  of  MouDt  Stewart  and  Ballylawn  Castle, 
wlio  was  raised  to  the  Peerage  of  Ireland,  November  18tli.,  1789,  as  Baron  Stewart, 
and  subsequently  was  further  elevated,  October  6th.,  1795,  as  Viscount  Castlbreagh; 
afterwards,  August  10th.,  1796,  as  Earl  of  Londonderry,  and  on  the  22nd.  of  January, 
1816,  Marquis  of  Londonderry.  He  married  first,  in  1766,  the  Honourable  Sarah 
Prances  Seymour,  second  daughter  of  Francis,  first  Marquis  of  Hertford,  by  whom 
he  had  Robert,  Viscount  Castlereagh,  his  successor,  and  secondly,  in  1775,  Frances, 
eldest  daughter  of  Charles,  first  Earl  Camden,  by  whom  he  had,  with  other  issue, 
Charles  William  Stewart,  third  Marquis.  He  died  April  8th.,  1821,  and  was 
succeeded  by  the  son  of  his  first  marriage, 

Robert  Stewart,  second  Marquis,  who  married  in  1794,  the  Honourable  Emily 
Anne  Hobart,  youngest  daughter  and  coheiress  of  John,  second  Earl  of  Buckingham- 
shire, but  had  no  children,  and  was  followed  by  his  half  brother, 

Charles  William  Stewart,  K.G.,  third  Marquis,  born  May  18th.,  1778,  who  married 
first,  August  8th.,  1804,  the  Honourable  Catherine  Bligh,  youngest  daughter  of  John, 
third  Earl  of  Darnley,  by  whom  he  had  a  son, 

Frederick  William  Robert  Stewart,  fourth  Marquis  of  Londonderry,  who  married 
April  30th.,  1846,  Lady  Powerscourt,  widow  of  Richard,  sixth  Viscount  Powerscourt, 
and  daughter  of  Robert,  third  Earl  of  Roden,  but  had  no  children. 

He  married,  secondly,  as  above  stated,  April  3rd.,  1819,  Lady  Frances  Anne 
Tempest,  only  daughter  and  heiress  of  Sir  Henry  Vane  Tempest,  Bart.,  on  which 
occasion  he  assumed  the  surname  and  arms  of  Vane.  He  was  created,  on  the  8th. 
of  July,  1823,  Eael  Vane,  with  remainder  to  the  issue  of  his  second  wife,  by  whom 
he  had 

George  Henry  Robert  Charles  Stewart,  Viscount  Seaham  and  second  Earl  Vane, 
who  on  the  death  of  his  half  brother  succeeded  as  fifth  Marquis  op  Londonderry. 
He  married,  August  3rd.,  1846,  Mary  Cornelia,  only  daughter  of  Sir  John  Edwards, 
Bart. 


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HUTTON    HALL, 

NEAR   GUISBOKOUGH,    YORKSHIRE. PEASE. 


HuTTON  Hall  was  erected  by  Mr.  Joseph  Whitwell  Pease,  M.P.,  from  the  designs 
of  Mr.  Waterhouse,  the  architect.  The  estate  on  which  it  is  built  was  bought  of 
Mr.  George  Reed,  of  Whitby,  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Commissioners  and  the  Crown. 
The  style  is  domestic  Gothic  of  an  early  type.  The  house  is  built  of  red  brick  with 
stone  facings,  the  south  front  commanding  a  view  of  the  very  picturesque  Cleveland 
hills.  The  portion  of  the  estate  surrounding  the  mansion  was  comprised  in  the  grant 
of  Edward  the  Sixth  of  the  Abbey  lands  of  Guisborough  to  Mr.  Thomas  Chaloner, 
and  is  endorsed  as  follows: — "Copy  of  the  Letters  patent  of  Demesnes  of  Gisburne. 
Deliver  this  to  Mr.  Thomas  Chaloner,  or  Mr.  James  Chaloner,  at  Mr.  Percye's  house  in 
the  White  Harte  Court  in  Fleete  Streete."  In  this  amongst  other  things  he  demises, 
*^A11  that  one  messuage  and  tenement  or  mansion  called  Hoton  Hall,  enclosed  with  a 
stone  wall,  and  also,  all  that  one  close  of  land  called  Hoton  Create  Close. ^^ 

Not  far  from  the  present  mansion  there  was  formerly  a  spital  or  hospital  belonging 
to  the  Priory  of  Guisborough,  founded  by  William  de  Bernaldy  for  lepers,  in  which 
the  Lord  of  Hutton  had  the  right  to  place  one  leper. 

A  small  Cistercian  Nunnery  was  founded  at  Hoton  (Hutton  Low  Cross)  by  Ralph 
de  Neville.  It  was  afterwards  removed  to  Nunthorpe,  and  from  there  to  Baxdale,  iu 
the  parish  of  Stokesley. 

The  Prior  and  Canons  of  Guisborough  remained  Lords  of  Hutton  till  the  dissolution, 
when  with  vast  quantities  of  Church  land  it  went  to  the  Crown,  and  so  remained  till 
purchased  by  the  above-named  proprietor,  who  thus  became  Lord  of  the  Manors  of 
Hutton  Low  Cross  and  Pinchingthorpe. 


Edward  Pease  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  and  co-heiress  of  Michael  Coates,  and 
was  father  of 

Joseph  Pease,  who  married  Mary  Richardson,  and  died  April  3rd.,  1808,  leaving  a 
son, 

Edward  Pease,  born  January  6th.,  1  767,  whose  wife  was  Rachel,  daughter  of  John 
Whitwell,  and  died  July  31st.,   1858,  having  had,  with  several  other  children, 

Joseph    Pease,  Esq.,   M.P,   for    South    Durham    from    1832    to    1841.      He    married. 


16  HUTTON    HALL. 

March  30tli.,  1826,  Emma,  youngest  daughter  and  co-heiress  of  Joseph  Gurney,   Esq., 
of  Lakenham  Grove,  Norwich,  and  had  a  large  family,  of  whom  the  eldest  son, 

Joseph  Whitwell  Pease,  born  June  23rd.,  1828,  married,  August  23rd.,  1854,  Mary, 
daughter  of  Alfred  Fox,  Esq.,  of  Falmouth. 


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MUNCASTER    CASTLE, 

NEAR     RAVENGLASS^    CUMBERLAND. LORD     MUNCASTER. 


MuNCASTER  Castle  was  originally  built  by  the  Romans  to  guard  a  ford  over  the 
river  Esk^  which  runs  immediately  beneath  it.  One  tower  of  the  old  castle  remains 
entire,  and  has  been  inhabited  ever  since;  some  foundations  and  walls  of  the  other 
towers  exist.  It  has  lately  been  restored  by  Mr.  Salvin.  The  old  moat  and  other  out- 
buildings can  still  be  traced.  From  its  situation  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  sea,  and 
half  way  up  Muncaster  fell,  it  commands  the  pass  over  Hardknot  and  the  low  ground 
by  the  sea.  It  came  into  the  possession  of  the  Pennington  family  about  the  time  of 
the  Norman  Conquest,  and  they  then  removed  to  it  from  Pennington-in-Furness, 
where  the  site  of  the    old    Saxon    encampment  still  remains. 

Muncaster  Castle  has  been  their  principal  residence,  descending  from  father  to  son, 
since  the  Conquest.  King  Henry  the  Sixth  stopped  here  after  the  battle  of  Hexham, 
when  a  fugitive,  and  on  leaving  he  gave  a  glass  cup  to  Sir  John  Pennington,  out  of 
which  the  family  have  ever  since  been  baptized.  It  is  still  unbroken,  and  is  commonly 
called  "The  Luck  of  Muncaster." 

The  plan  of  the  Castle  in  former  days  was  four  square  towers  connected  by  a  longer 
building,  enclosing  a  quadrangle  with  moat  and  gatehouse  and  chapel.  From  a  terrace 
beautiful  views  up  the  valley  of  the  Esk  ending  in  Scaw-fell  are  seen.  The  church 
is  very  old,  but  was  thoroughly  restored  by  Josslyn,  fifth  Lord  Muncaster,  and  contains 
the  tombs  of  most  of  the  Pennington  family. 


In  lineal  descent  from  the  above-named  Sir  John  de  Pennington,  was 

William  Pennington,  Esq.,  of  Muncaster,  created  a  Baronet  June  21st.,  1676.  He 
married  Isabel,  eldest  daughter  of  John  Stapleton,  Esq.,  and  had  issue,  with  other 
children,  his  heir. 

Sir  Joseph  Pennington,  Bart.,  M.P.  for  the  county  of  Cumberland.  He  married 
the  Honourable  Margaret  Lowther,  daughter  of  John,  first  Viscount  Lonsdale,  and  had 
two  sons,  of  whom  the  elder. 

Sir  John  Pennington,  Bart.,  M.P.  for  Cumberland,  and  Lord  Lieutenant  for  the 
county  of  Westmoreland,  dying  without  issue,  was  succeeded  by  his  brother. 

Sir  Joseph  Pennington,  Bart.,  who  married  Sarah,  daughter  and  heiress  of  John 
Moore,  Esq.,  of  Somersetshire,  by  whom  he  had 

III.  D 


18  MUNCASTER    CASTLE. 

Sir  John  Pennington,  Bart.,  who  was  created  a  peer  of  Ireland  October  21st., 
1783,  as  Baron  Muncaster.  He  married  Penelope,  daughter  and  heiress  of  James 
Crompton,  Esq.,  and  died  in  1813,  leaving  no  male  issue,  when  the  title  devolved, 
by  remainder,  to  his  brother. 

Sir  Lowther  Pennington,  second  Baron,  a  General  Ofl&cer  in  'the  Army.  He 
married  in  1802,  Esther,  second  daughter  of  Thomas  Barry,  Esq.,  of  Clapham,  Surrey, 
and  widow  of  James  Morrison,  Esq.,  by  whom  he  left  at  his  decease,  in  1818,  an 
only  son. 

Sir  Lowther  Augustus  John  Pennington,  third  Baron,  born  December  14th.,  1802, 
married,  December  15th.,  1828,  Prances  Catherine,  youngest  daughter  of  Sir  John 
Ramsden,  Bart.,  and  by  her  had 

Sir  Gamel  Augustus  Pennington,  fourth  Baron,  who  married,  August  2nd.,  1855, 
Lady  Jane  Grosvenor,  daughter  of  Robert,  first  Marquis  of  Westminster,  but  died, 
leaving  only  a  daughter,  June  13th.,  1862,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  next  brother. 

Sir  Josslyn  Pennington,  fifth  Baron,  M.P.  for  West  Cumberland.  He  married, 
April  9th.,  1863,  Constance,  daughter  of  Edmund  L^Estrange,  Esq.,  of  the  county  of 
Sligo. 


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BRANTINGHAM    THORPE, 

NEAR    BROUGH,    YORKSHIRE. SYKES. 


Brantingham  Thorpe  stands  on  a  high,  terrace  commanding  a  most  extensive  and 
beautiful  view  of  the  course  of  the  river  Humber  for  more  that  twenty  miles,  and 
of  the  Vale  of  York,  broken  by  the  towns  of  Howden  and  Selby,  the  spire  of 
Heminboroughj  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  the  wooded  hills  of  Lincolnshire. 

The  present  house,  a  long  uneven  structure  of  grey  stone,  broken  by  gables  and 
balustrades,  is  of  various  dates.  The  porch  and  the  centre  of  the  house  date  from 
Elizabeth^s  reign,  during  which  one  Anthony  Smetheby,  "Dominus  de  Brantingham," 
as  he  is  described  on  a  brass  plate  in  the  Church,  bearing  his  arms,  lived  and  died 
there,  A.D.  1574.  His  daughters  and  co-heiresses  married  into  the  Sotheby,  of 
Birdsall,  and  the  Ellerker  families. 

The  house  was  added  to  by  the  late  owner.  Captain  Shawe,  and  largely  increased 
by  the  present  proprietor. 

The  dining-room,  panelled  with  oak,  is  enriched  by  five  landscapes  painted  in  Italy 
by  Jolly,  at  the  order  of  the  great  Lord  Chesterfield,  for  the  grand  drawing-room  at 
Chesterfield  House,  in  the  beginning  of  the  last  century,  and  a  sixth  one  of  the 
Ponte  di  Trinitia,  at  Florence,  by  Mario w,  of   the  same  date. 

The  library  boasts  an  almost  complete  collection  of  topographical  works  relating  to 
the  county  of  York,  and  more  especially  to  the  East  Riding. 

The  entrance  to  the  grounds  is  about  a  mile  from  the  Brough  station  on  the  North- 
Eastern  line,  flanked  by  a  lodge,  recently  erected  in  the  Elizabethan  style,  and  in 
good  keeping  with  the  hall.  The  drive  is  through  well  undulated  park  scenery,  with 
a  considerable  slope  from  north-east  to  south-west.  As  it  gradually  rises,  a  charming 
view  of  the  river  and  of  the  Lincolnshire  coast  expands,  till,  when  you  reach  the  natural 
terrace  on  which  the  house  stands,  you  command  a  lovely  panoramic  view  of  the  fine 
estuary  of  the  sea,  known  as  the  river  Humber,  but,  seeing  that  it  is  here  fully  three 
miles  wide,  and  viewed  from  the  terrace  lengthwise  is  seen  for  a  distance  of  at  least 
twelve  miles  through  which  it  retains  the  same  width,  at  that  point  branching  into 
the  Trent  and  the  Ouse  right  and  left,  it  realises,  with  the  foreground  beautifully 
broken  by  the  groups  of  trees  in  the  park,  the  idea  of  a  lake  of  almost  unlimited 
extent.     There  is,  indeed,  no  site  of  such  commanding  beauty  in  the  East  Riding. 

The  hall  stands  at  an  elevation  of  some  two  hundred  feet  or  more  above  the  level 
of  the  river,  and  the  hills  rise  above  it  to  a  similar  height,  clothed  with  massive 
plantations,  broken  every  here  and  there  with  ordinary  fields,  which,  in  some  cases, 
lose  themselves  over  the  crown  of  the  hills,   thus  giving  distance  and  variety  to  the 


20  BRANTINGHAM    THORPE. 

landscape.  The  hall  is  Elizabethan  in  style,  built  of  stone,  covered  with  ivy,  roses, 
etc.  Fronting  the  house  is  a  terrace,  about  fifty  feet  wide,  bounded  by  a  low 
parapet-wall.  Two  Wellingtonias,  planted  on  a  knoll  at  the  south-east  end  of  the 
bouse,  are  interesting,  as  souvenirs  of  a  Royal  visit,  having  been  planted  by  their 
Royal  Highnesses  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales,  July  21st.,  1869.  They  show 
every  prospect  of  making  noble  ornamental  trees.  The  ground  rises  rapidly  at  the 
back  of  the  hall,  by  a  terraced  slope  of  some  ten  feet  in  height^  reached  by  a  flight 
of  steps,  and  on  this  higher  level  is  the  flower  garden. 


The  following  is  the  account  of  the  descent  of  the  family,  as  recorded  in  Burke's 
''Peerage  and  Baron etage.^^     He  states  that  the  family  came  originally  from  Saxony. 

Walter  Sykes,  of  Sykes  Dyke,  in  the  county  of  Cumberland. 

Walter  Sykes,  of  Sykes  Dyke,  tempore  Henry  the  Sixth,  was  father  of 

William  Sykes,  of  Leeds,  whose  son, 

Richard  Sykes,  also  of  Leeds,  had  one  son, 

Richard  Sykes,  Alderman  of  Leeds,  and  Lord  of  the  Manor,  which  he  purchased 
in  1625.  He  married,  January  30th.,  1593,  Elizabeth  Mawson,  and  had  with  other 
issue,  a  younger  son, 

William  Sykes,  Lord  of  the  Manor  of  Leeds,  married  Grace,  daughter  and  co-heiress 
of  Josias  Jenkinson,  Esq.,  of  Leeds,  and  left,  among  other  children, 

Daniel  Sykes,  Esq.,  born  1632,  Mayor  of  Hull,  and  a  merchant  of  eminence  there, 
who  left  by  his  wife  Deborah,  daughter  of  William  Oates,  Esq., 

Richard  Sykes,  Esq.,  born  in  1678,  also  a  merchant  of  Hull.  He  married  Mary, 
daughter  and  co-heiress  of  Mark  Kirkby,  Esq.,  of  Sledmere,  and  was  succeeded  by 

Richard  Sykes,  Esq.,  who  built  the  house  at  Sledmere,  married,  firstly,  Jane  Hobman, 
and,  secondly,  Mrs.  Edge,  but  died  without  issue,  and  was  succeeded   by  his  brother. 

The  Rev.  Sir  Mark  Sykes,  Rector  of  Roos,  in  the  East  Riding,  born  in  1711,  who 
was  created  a  Baronet,  March  28th.,  1783,  leaving,  by  his  wife  Decima,  daughter  of 
Twyford  Woodham,  Gent.,  of  Ely, 

Sir  Christopher  Sykes,  D.C.L,,  second  Baronet,  born  in  1749,  M.P.  for  Beverley. 
He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  William  Tatton,  Esq.,  of  Withenshaw,  Cheshire, 
and  was  father  of 

Sir  Mark  Sykes,  third  Baronet,  whose  first  wife  was  Henrietta,  daughter  and  heiress 
of  Henry  Masterman,  Esq.,  of  Settrington  Hall,  near  Malton.  He  married,  secondly, 
August  2nd.,  1814,  Mary  Elizabeth,  sister  of  Wilbraham  Egerton,  Esq.,  but  having 
no  children,    was  succeeded  by  his  brother. 

Sir  Tatton  Sykes,  fourth  Baronet,  born  August  22nd.,  1772,  who  by  his  wife, 
Mary  Anne,  second  daughter  of  Sir  William  Eoulis,  Bart.,  left,  with  other  children, 

1.  Sir  Tatton  Sykes,  fifth  Baronet,  whose  most  munificent  acts  in  the  way  of 
building,  rebuilding,  restoring,  endowing,  and  adorning  churches  on  his  very  large 
estates  in  the  East  Riding,  will  be  remembered  in  Yorkshire  for  generations  to  come. 
He  married,  August  3rd.,  1874,  Christina  Anne  Jessie,  eldest  daughter  of  George 
Augustus  Cavendish  Bentinck,  Esq.,  M.P.  for  Whitehaven. 

2.  Christopher  Sykes,  Esq.,  of  Brantingham  Thorpe,  M.P.  for  the  East  Riding. 


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HELMINGHAM    HALL, 

NEAR      DEBENHAM,      SUFFOLK. BARON     TOLLEMACHB. 


This  stately  residence  is  situated  in  the  hundred  o£  Bosmere  and  Claydon,  four  miles 
south-east  from  Debenham^  and  eight  from  Ipswich,  in  a  beautiful  park,  comprehending 
four  hundred  acres,  which  contains  some  of  the  finest  oak-trees  in  the  county,  many 
of  them  of  great  age,  and  is  abundantly  stocked  with  deer,  there  never  being  less 
than  seven  hundred  head^  among  which  are  some  remarkably  large  stags. 

The  Hall  has  been  the  principal  seat  of  the  family  of  Tollemache  from  the  period 
of  its  erection,  and  here  Sir  Lionel  Tollemache  was  honoured  by  a  visit  from  Queen 
Elizabeth,  for  five  days,  from  August  14th.  to  the  18th.  inclusive,  in  the  year  1561. 
Her  Majesty  was  entertained  with  great  splendour  and  sumptuous  hospitality,  and 
during  her  visit  stood  godmother  to  Sir  Lionel's  son,  and  at  the  same  time  presented 
his  mother  with  a  lute,  which  is  still  preserved. 

Very  few  innovations  have  been  made  in  the  mansion^  and,  with  regard  to  its  exterior 
appearance,  it  exists  in  all  its  pristine  grandeur.  It  is  a  quadrangular  structure,  entirely 
of  brick,  environing  a  court,  and  completely  surrounded  by  a  terrace  and  moat.  The 
approach  is  by  drawbridges^  on  the  east  and  south  fronts,  which  are  raised  every 
night. 


The  family  flourished  in  the  greatest  repute,  and  in  an  uninterrupted  male  succession 
in  this  county,  from  the  arrival  of  the  Saxons  in  this  kingdom,  to  1821,  having  borne 
a  conspicuous  part  in  the  annals  and  history  of  the  county  for  above  thirteen  hundred 
years. 

Hugh  Talmache,  who  subscribed  the  Charter,  sans  date,  but  about  the  reign  of  King 
Stephen,  of  John  de  St.  John,  granted  to  Eve,  the  first  Abbess  of  Godstowe,  in 
Oxfordshire,  is  the  first  of  the  family  on  record.  In  his  old  age  he  became  a  monk 
at  Gloucester,  and  gave  to  the  Abbey  there  a  moiety  of  his  town  of  Hampton,  which 
Peter,  his  son,  confirmed  in  the  time  of  the  first  Abbot. 

William  Talmache  gave  lands  in  Bentley  and  Dodness  to  the  priory  of  Ipswich, 
which  gifts  were  confirmed  in  the  reign  of  King  John.  In  the  twenty-fifth  year  of 
the  reign  of  Edward  the  First,  Sir  Hugh  de  Tolmache  held  the  Manor  of  Bentley  of 
the  crown,  by  Knight^s  Service,  servitium  militare. 

Sir  Lionel  Tollemache,  of  Bentley,  who  flourished  in  the  reigns  of  Henry  the  Sixth 


22  HELMINGHAM    HALL. 

and  Edward  tlie  Fourth,  married  the  heiress  of  the  family  of  Helmingham,  by  which 
alliance  he  acquired  this  estate.     His  son, 

John,  was  the  father  of 

Lionel,  who  most  probably  built  the  present  edifice.  He  was  High  Sheriff  of  the 
county,  and  also  of  Norfolk,  in  1512.  In  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  his  reign,  King 
Henry  the  Eighth  granted  him  the  Manors  of  Wansden,  Le  Church  Hey,  Bury 
Hall,  Wyllows,  and  Overhall  to  hold  of  the  crown  by  Knight's  service.     His  son, 

Lionel,  was  knighted  by  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  was  High  Sheriff  of  Norfolk  and 
Suffolk  in  1567,  He  married  Dorothy,  the  daughter  of  Sir  Richard  Wentworth,  of 
Nettlested,  and  was  the  father  of 

Sir  Lionel  Tollemachb,  who  was  High  Sheriff  of  the  above-named  counties  in  1593. 
His  son, 

Sir  Lionel,  was  High  Sheriff  of  Suffolk  in  1609,  and  was  advanced  to  the  dignity 
of  a  Baronet,  at  the  first  institution  of  that  Order  in  1611,  being  the  twelfth  Baronet 
in  the  order  of  precedency.  In  1617  he  was  again  High  Sheriff  of  this  county,  and 
married  Catharine  the  daughter  of  Henry,  Lord  Cromwell,  of  Wimbledon.  He  was 
succeeded  in  the  title  and  estate  by  his  son. 

Sir  Lionel  Tollemachb,  Bart.,  who  lived  in  great  honour  and  esteem  in  the 
county,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

Sir  Lionel,  who  married  Elizabeth,  the  daughter  and  heiress  of  William  Murray, 
the  first  Earl  of  Dysart,  by  whom  he  had  a  son. 

Sir  Lionel  Tollemachb,  the  fourth  Baronet,  who,  on  the  death  of  his  mother,  in 
1696,  became  the  second  Earl  of  Dysart,  a  title  derived  from  the  Royal  Borough  of 
that  name  in  Fifeshire.  By  the  Act  of  Union,  in  1707,  he  became  a  Peer  of  Great 
Britain.  His  Lordship  married,  in  1680,  Grace,  the  eldest  daughter  and  co-heiress  of 
Sir  Thomas  Wilbraham,  Bart.,  of  Woodhey,  in  Cheshire,  by  which  alliance  the  family 
became  possessed  of  vast  estates  in  Cheshire.  The  second  brother  of  this  Earl  was 
Thomas  Tollemache,  a  gallant  and  distinguished  officer  in  the  reign  of  King 
William  the  Third.  He  was  killed  in  an  unfortunate  attempt  to  destroy  the  Harbour 
of  Brest,  30th,  June,  1694,  and  is  buried  at  Helmingham. 

The  Earl  of  Dysart  died  February  3rd.,  1726,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  grandson, 

Lionel,  the  third  Earl,  who  was  created  a  Knight  Companion  of  the  most  ancient 
Order  of  the  Thistle,  in  1743.  His  Lordship  died  in  1770  and  was  followed  by  his 
son, 

Lionel,  the  fourth  Earl  of  Dysart,  who  died  at  Ham  House,  the  22nd.  of  February, 
1799,  aged  sixty-three.     His  honours  and  estates  then  came  to  his  brother, 

Wilbraham,  the  fifth  Earl  of  Dysart,  and  Baron  Huntingtower  of  the  kingdom  of 
Scotland,  and  a  Baronet,  who  died  at  Ham  House  in  1820,  and  was  succeeded  by 

Louisa,  Countess  of  Dysart,  who  died  at  Ham  House  in  1841,  when  the  estates 
devolved  on 

John  Tollemachb,  Esq.,  for  many  years  M.P.  for  South  Cheshire,  created  Baron 
Tollemache,  January  1st.,  1876,  the  son  of  Admiral  Tollemache,  nephew  of  Wilbraham, 
fifth  Earl  of  Dysart,  and  Lady  Elizabeth  Tollemache,  daughter  of  John,  third  Earl  of 
Aldboroughi 


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TRAFALGAR    HOUSE, 

(late    STANDLYNCH,)    near    SALISBURY,    WILTSHIRE. EARL   NELSON. 


Mr.  Yandeput  purchased  the  property  of  the  Bucklands  of  Standlynch,  pulled  down 
the  old  house  in  the  valley,  and  built  the  present  structure  in  1733.  The  property 
was  purchased  in  1814  under  an  Act  of  Parliament  for  the  heirs  of  the  conqueror 
of  Trafalgar.  The  wings  were  built  by  Mr.  Dawkins,  who  purchased  the  building  of 
Sir  William  Young,  to  whom  the  Vandeputs  sold  it,  and  a  portico  by  Rivett  was 
added  in  1766.  The  hall,  a  cube  of  thirty  feet,  is  decorated  with  a  profusion  of 
stone  carving.  The  walls  of  one  of  the  rooms  were  painted  by  Cipriani,  representing 
the  family  of  Sir  William  Young. 

In  the  park  are  noble  woods  of  beech,  and  near  the  river  side  is  a  chapel,  rebuilt 
in  the  seventeenth  century,  said  to  have  been  founded  as  early  as  1147.  Adjoining 
Trafalgar  House  is  Barford,  now  a  farm-house,  purchased  by  the  late  Earl  Nelson,  and 
formerly  the  residence  of  Lord  Feversham. 


William  Nelson,  living  in  the  time  of  Edward  the  Sixth,  came  out  of  Lancashire 
and  settled  in  Norfolk.     He  was  father  of 

Thomas  Nelson,  of  Scarning,  Norfolk,  born  there  about  the  year  1600,  whose  son, 
Edmund  Nelson,  also  born  at  Scarning  in  1625,  was  father  of 

William  Nelson,  of  Dunham  Parva,  Norfolk,  born  at  Scarning  in  1654,  married 
Mary,  daughter  of  Thomas  Shene,  of  the  same  place,  and  by  her  left,  at  his  death, 
January  27th.,  1713,  three  sons,  of  whom  the  youngest  was 

The  Rev.  Edmund  Nelson,  M.A.,  Vicar  of  Sporle,  and  Rector  of  Hilborough,  Norfolk, 
born  1693,  who  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Mr.  John  Bland,  of  Cambridge,  and  had 
by  her,  with  other  children. 

The  Rev.  Edmund  Nelson,  M.A.,  Rector  of  Hilborough  and  Burnham  Thorpe,  in 
Norfolk,  born  in  1722.  This  gentleman  married,  May  11th.,  1749,  Catharine,  only 
daughter  of  the  Rev.  Maurice  Suckling,  D.D.,  Prebendary  of  Westminster,  whose  wife 
was  Mary,  daughter  of  Sir  Charles  Turner,  Bart.,  of  Wareham,  Norfolk,  by  his  wife 
Mary,  daughter  of  Robert  Walpole,  Esq.,  of  Houghton,  Norfolk,  and  sister  of  Sir 
Robert  Walpole,  K.G.,  first  Earl  of  Orford,  and  of  Horatio,  Lord  Walpole  of  Wol- 
terton.  This  lady,  by  her  direct  descent  on  the  father^s  side  from  the  Careys,  in 
Henry   the   Eighth's   reign,  brought   a  royal  descent   in  three  lines  from  Edward   the 


24  TRAFALGAR   HOUSE. 

First  to  her  warrior  son.  The  Rev.  Edmund  Nelson  died  April  26tli.,  1802,  having 
had  eight  children,  of  whom  the  fifth  son  was 

Horatio  Nelson,  first  Baron  Nelson,  the  Hero  op  the  Nile,  also  made  a  Viscount, 
born  at  the  Parsonage  House,  Burnham  Thorpe,  September  29th.,  1758,  married, 
March  22nd.,  1787,  Frances,  daughter  of  William  Herbert,  Esq.,  and  widow  of  Josiah 
Nisbet,  Esq.,  M.D.,  but  had  no  children.  He  died  in  the  hour  of  victory,  October 
21st.,  1805,  when  his  titles  reverted,  according  to  the  limitation,  to  his  elder  and 
only  surviving  brother,  namely. 

The  Rev.  William  Nelson,  D.D.,  Prebendary  of  Canterbury,  second  Baron  and 
Viscount  Nelson,  created,  November  20th.,  1805,  Viscount  Merton  op  Trafalgar  and 
Earl  Nelson,  with  remainder  to  his  own  heirs  male,  and  failing  such  to  the  heirs 
male  of  his  sister  Mrs.  Bolton,  and  failing  such  to  the  heirs  male  of  his  other  sister, 
Mrs.  Matcham.  He  married  first,  November  9th.,  1786,  Sarah,  daughter  of  the  Rev. 
Henry  Yonge,  by  whom  he  had  a  son,  Horatio  Viscount  Trapalgar,  born  October 
26th.,  1788,  who  died  unmarried  January  17th.,  1808,  and  a  daughter,  who  succeeded 
to  the  dukedom  of  Bronte  and  the  property  in  Sicily  attached  thereto,  which  is 
still  held  by  her  son,  the  present  Viscount  Bridport.  He  married,  secondly,  March 
26th.,  1829,  Hilare,  third  daughter  of  Admiral  Sir  Robert  Barlow,  G.C.B,,  but  died 
without  further  issue,  February  28th.,  1835,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew, 

Thomas  Bolton,  second  Earl,  who  took  in  lieu  of  his  patronymic  the  surname  and 
arms  of  Nelson.  He  married,  February  21st.,  1821,  Frances  Elizabeth,  daughter  and 
heiress  of  John  Maurice  Eyre,  Esq.,  of  Landford  and  Brickworth,  Wiltshire,  who, 
through  her  great  grandmother,  Jane  Buckland,  of  Standlynch,  was  the  lineal  descendant 
of  the  ancient  Lords  of  this  Manor,  and  had  with  other  children, 

Horatio,  third  Earl  Nelson,  born  August  7th.,  1823,  who  married,  July  28th., 
1845,  Mary  Jane  Diana,  only  daughter  of  Welbore,  Earl  of  Normanton,  by  whom  he 
had  a  son  and  heir, 

Herbert  Horatio,  Viscount  Trafalgar,  born  July  19th.,  1854. 


PI 

Eh 
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o 


BEOUGHTON    CASTLE, 

NEAR    BANBURY,    OXFORDSHIRE. LORD    SAYE    AND    SELE. 


Broughton  Castle_,  tliree  miles  from  Banbury,  the  seat  of  Lord  Saye  and  Sele, 
is  built  of  the  substantial  yellow  stone  of  the  country. 

The  house  and  grounds  are  completely  enclosed  by  a  remarkably  fine  wide  moat, 
the  only  entrance  being  by  a  bridge  and  gateway  on  the  south  side.  Built  by  the 
De  Broughtons  in  the  latter  period  of  Edward  the  First's  reign,  the  castle  and  estate 
was  purchased  by  William  of  Wykeham  in  1377,  and  passed  by  will  to  Sir  Thomas 
Wykeham,  his  great-nephew  and  heir,  whose  eventual  heiress,  Margarette,  intermarried 
with  Lord  Saye  and  Sele  who  fell  at  the  Battle  of  Barnet,  1471,  and  of  which 
marriage  the  present  Lord  Saye  and  Sele  is  the  heir  general. 

Sir  Thomas   and  Lady  Wykeham  lie  interred  in  the  chancel  of  Broughton  Church. 

At  the  eastern  end  of  the  hall,  which  is  fifty-one  feet  by  twenty-eight,  is  a  beautiful 
groined  passage  leading  to  the  stairs  of  the  chapel  and  priest's  room.  Of  the  deco- 
rated early  English  chapel  too  much  cannot  be  said  in  praise.  It  is  of  small 
dimensions,  but  lofty,  and  occupying  the  height  of  two  of  the  other  stories.  In 
the  southern  wall  are  five  small  lancet  arches,  through  which  the  worshippers  in  the 
southern  room,  above  the  chapel,  could  hear  and  see  the  ofiiciating  priest.  A  large 
aperture  also  exists  for  this  purpose  on  the  western  side.  The  east  end  is  almost 
entirely  occupied  by  a  large  three-light  window,  with  geometrical  tracing.  Under  the 
window  is  the  original  altar  slab,  with  the  cavity  on  its  north  side  testifying  to  its 
genuineness.  It  is  of  stone,  and  supported  on  three  brackets.  The  floor  of  the 
chapel  is  paved  with  the  original  encaustic  tiles  of  good  and  valuable  patterns. 

The  Hall,  though  converted  from  the  Medieeval  into  the  Tudor  style  in  1554,  retains 
its  original  plan  and  proportions.  The  west  end,  leading  from  it,  was  at  the  same 
time  converted  into  two  magnificent  rooms,  a  dining  and  a  drawing  room,  with  pro- 
jecting bay  windows,  and  having  internally  rich  renaissance  fire-places  with  splendid 
ceilings.  In  the  dining-room  is  a  curious  internal  porch.  These  rooms  are  forty-two 
feet  by  twenty- three  each. 

At  this  end  a  noble  staircase  ascends  to  the  corridor,  eighty-nine  feet  long,  and  to 
the  Council  Chamber,  in  which,  between  the  dissolution  of  the  Short  Parliament  and  the 
meeting  of  the  Long  Parliament,  Pym,  Hampden,  Oliver,  St.  John,  Lord  Brook,  Lord 
Saye  and  Sele,  the  Earls  of  Bedford,  Warwick,  and  Essex,  Nathaniel  Fiennes,  and 
Sir  Harry  Vane  the  younger  were  wont  to  assemble  and  take  measures  to  resist  the 
III.  E 


26  BROUGHTON    CASTLE. 

court's  arbitrary  measures.  Near  the  Council  Cliamber  a  door  opens  on  tlie  leads, 
whence  is  a  glorious  view  of  the  sweeping  moat,  formed  from  the  junction  of  three 
brooks,  and  of  the  hills  surrounding  the  venerable  castle. 

Taken  altogether,  Broughton  Castle  is  a  most  interesting  building,  whether  we 
regard  the  earlier  portions  of  it,  or  the  transition  alterations  thereof  from  the 
castellated  to  the  domestic  period. 

Seen  either  from  the  north-west  or  the  north-east,  the  church,  the  gateway,  the 
stables,  and  the  castle,  with  its  gables  and  chimneys,  harmonize  finely  with  the 
stately  trees  and  moat  with  which  they  are  surrounded. 

King  James  the  First  of  England  and  Sixth  of  Scotland  honoured  Lord  Saye 
and  Sele  by  a  visit  to  Broughton  Castle  in  September,  1604,  and  the  sermon 
preached  by  His  Majesty's  Chaplain,  Thomas  Playgere,  in  Broughton  Church,  is  in 
print,  and   speaks  of   the   then   abundant   harvest. 


Lord  Saye  and  Sele,  the  twentieth  in  descent  from  Geofirey,  Lord  Saye,  one  of 
the  twenty-five  barons  who  compelled  King  John  to  grant  the  Great  Charter,  succeeded 
as  thirteenth  Baron  March  31st.,  1847,  and  as  a  Clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England 
became  Archdeacon  of  Hereford. 


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STOWLAN&TOFT    HALL, 

NEAR    BURY    ST.  EDMUNDS,    SUFFOLK. WILSON. 


Stowlangtoft  was  formerly  the  residence  of  Sir  Simonds  D'Ewes,  who  gives  the 
following  account  of  its  early  history: — "On  Thursday  the  1st.  of  July  (1624)  I 
perused  over  divers  of  the  old  evidence  of  the  manor  of  Stowlangtoft  with  much 
delight,  having  now  by  my  study  of  records  gotten  reasonable  skill  and  ability  in  the 
reading  of  those  old  hands  and  characters  in  which  the  elder  deeds  had  been  written 
for  about  five  hundred  years  past,  as  well  as  those  which  have  been  past  since.  By 
them  I  easily  discovered  that  the  ancient  appellation  of  the  town  had  been  singly 
Stow,  and  that  it  had  been  possessed  by  the  family  of  Langetot  from  about  William 
the  First's  time  till  the  latter  end  of  King  John  or  the  beginning  of  Henry  the 
Third.  Robert  de  Langetot,  son  of  Richard  de  Langetot,  died  without  issue  male, 
leaving  Maude  de  Langetot,  his  sole  daughter  and  heiress,  married  to  Sir  Nicholas 
Petche,  Knight,  who  had  issue  by  her  Sir  John  Petche,  Knight,  (their  son  and  heir), 
Sir  Reginald  Petche,  Knight,  and  Hugh  Petche,  about  which  time  the  manor  and 
town  began  to  be  called  Stow  de  Langetot,  a  little  later  Stowlangetot,  and  lastly,  as 
it  is  called  to  this  day,  Stowlangtoft.  Before  I  discovered  the  true  origin  of  the 
appellation  out  of  the  same  ancient  evidences,  the  Townsends  themselves,  and  all 
others,  had  a  fond  and  idle  tradition  constantly  believed  and  reported  amongst  them, 
that  the  village  was  called  Stowlangethorne,  from  a  lantern  that  stood  fixed  on  the 
top  of  the  steeple  there." 

Stowlangtoft  was  afterwards  owned  and  inhabited  by  Sir  Walter  Rawlinson,  and 
subsequently  by  Sir  George  Wombwell,  Baronet,  from  whom  it  was  purchased  by 
the  family  of  the  present  owner. 

The  old  hall  was  pulled  down  and  the  present  house  built  in  the  year  1859,  from 
the  designs  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Hakewill  the  architect,  Messrs.  Cubitt,  of  Gray^s  Inn  Road, 
being  the  builders.  It  is  in  the  Italian  style  of  architecture,  and  externally  of  white 
brick  and   stone. 

The  house  stands  upon  a  gentle  slope  to  the  south,  with  cheerful  home  views  all 
round;  it  has  a  raised  terrace  on  the  south  and  west  fronts,  that  on  the  south  being 
two  hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  length,  with  a  lower  terrace  laid  out  as  an  Italian 
garden,  whence  a  path  leads  to  the  gardens  which  belonged  to  the  old  house,  now 
some  little  distance  off.  The  house  is  entered  from  the  north  by  a  portico,  flanked 
by  a  lofty  tower,  with  open  campanile  of  Corinthian  columns. 


28  STOWLANGTOFT   HALL. 

A  handsome  hall  of  large  proportions  opens  through  an  arcade  o£  three  arches 
into  a  corridor^  from  which  the  principal  rooms  are  entered. 

The  dining-room  is  a  noble  room  nearly  forty  feet  in  length;  the  drawing-room 
nearly  the  same  size;  and  the  library^  with  windows  to  the  south  and  west,  a  large 
and  well-proportioned  room,  fitted  up  in  wainscot,  and  well  stocked.  The  billiard-room 
is  entered  from  the  hall. 

The  principal  staircase  is  approached  from  the  corridor,  and  is  of  oak  with  hand- 
some carved  newels,  the  walls  hung  with  tapestry  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
representing  rustic  scenes,  and  a  splendid  boar  hunt  by  Snyder. 

The  corridor  leads  on  to  the  justice  room,  gun  room,  waiting  room,  and  garden 
entrance,  which  opens  into  a  glazed  colonnade,  communicating  with  the  greenhouse. 
The  efiect  of  this,  as  seen  from  the  dining-room,  one  of  the  windows  of  which  opens 
into  the  colonnade,  is  particularly  striking. 

The  hall  contains  a  good  collection  of  pictures,  consisting  of  specimens  of  the 
following  artists: — Stanfield,  Turner,  Crome,  Cotman,  Constable,  Moreland,  Wilkie, 
Holland,  Wilson,  Yan  Gowen,   S.  Ruysdael,   Cooper,  Hurlstone,  etc. 

The  grounds  were  laid  out  by  Mr.  Page,  of  Southampton,  who  has  skilfully  united 
the  house  with  the  old  gardens,  which  were  at  some  little  distance. 

The  church,  a  noble  example  of  late  decorated  architecture,  standing  within  the 
park  upon  rising  ground,  which  is  supposed  to  have  been  part  of  a  Roman  encamp- 
ment, contains  the  old  oak  carved  seats,  and  chancel  stalls  quite  perfect,  and  some 
^ood  painted  glass  in  the  windows. 


Thomas  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Highbury  Place,  married  Miss  Mary  Eemington,  and  by 
her  had 

Joseph  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Highbury  Hill,  Middlesex,  Little  Massingham,  Norfolk, 
and  Stowlangtoft,  Suffolk.  By  his  first  wife,  Mary  Anne,  eldest  daughter  of  Robert 
Maitland,  Esq.,  of  Blue  Stile,  Greenwich,  a  West  India  Merchant,  whom  he  married 
July  10th.,  1792,  (his  second  wife  being  Emma,  eldest  daughter  of  John  Welford, 
Esq.,  of  Blackheath,  married  to  him  February  19th.,  1800,)  he  left  a  son  and  heir, 

Henry  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Stowlangtoft  Hall,  J.P.  and  D.L.,  High  Sheriff  of  Suffolk 
in  1845,  and  M.P.  for  West  Suffolk,  born  August  27th.,  1797,  married,  first,  July 
29th.,  1824,  Mary  Fuller,  eldest  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Fuller  Maitland,  Esq.,  of  Park 
Place,  Henley-on-Thames,  and  secondly.  May  18th.,  1839,  Caroline,  only  daughter  of 
the  Rev.  Lord  Henry  Fitzroy,  Prebendary  of  Westminster,  and  Rector  of  Easton, 
Suffolk,  brother  of  His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Grafton.  By  his  first  wife  he  had  a  large 
family,  the  eldest  son  being 

Fuller  Maitland  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Stowlangtoft  Hall,  J.P.,  Lieutenant- Colonel 
of  the  West  Suffolk  Militia,  High  Sheriff  of  Suffolk  in  1873,  born  August  27th., 
1825,  who  married,  April  20th.,  1852,  Agnes  Caroline,  second  daughter  of  the 
Right  Honourable  Sir  R.  T.  Kindersley,  and  has  several  children,  the  eldest  son 
being 

Arthur  Maitland   Wilson,   born   June    16th.,    1857. 


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CAPESTHORNE, 

NEAR  CHELFORD^  CHESHIRE. — DAVENPORT. 


Capesthornb,  the  modern  seat  of  the  ancient  family  of  Davenport,  came  into  that 
familj  by  marriage  with  the  heiress  of  the  Wards  of  Capesthorne,  A.D.   1721. 

The  house,  built  about  the  same  period,  was  restored  and  enlarged  about  1837, 
and  in  1861  the  centre  portion,  since  rebuilt  very  nearly  on  the  original  plan,  was 
almost  wholly  destroyed  by  fire,  together  with  some  fine  old  furniture,  panellings,  and 
family  portraits  of  interest. 

Of  the  Davenport  family,  Ormerod  says  that  its  history  is  ''of  rare  occurrence  even 
in  this  county,'^  {i.  e.  Cheshire,  described  by  Leland  as  the  ''seed  plot  of  knightly 
families,'^  and  the  "mother  and  nurse  of  the  gentility  of  England,")  "the  descent  of 
a  family  in  one  uninterrupted  male  line  from  the  Norman  Conquerors  of  the  palatinate, 
possessing  at  the  present  day  the  feudal  powers  with  which  the  local  sovereigns  of 
that  palatinate  invested  it,  and  preserving  in  its  own  archives,  in  a  series  of  original 
documents,  the  proofs  of  its  ancient  importance,  and  its  unbroken  descent." 

The  ancient  seat,  described  by  Leland  as  "the  first  and  best  house  of  the  Davenports 
at  Davenport,  a  great  house  covered  with  lead  on  the  banks  of  the  Dane,  near 
Congleton,"  is  now  utterly  destroyed,  and  on  its  site  is  built  the  present  Davenport 
Hall,  a  modern  house  of  moderate  dimensions,  which,  together  with  what  remained 
of  the  old  estate,  was  alienated  by  Davies  Davenport,  the  great  grandfather  of  the 
present  representative,  Mr.  Bromley  Davenport,  M.P.  for  North  Warwickshire,  and  left 
to  a  daughter,  who  married  Mr.  Horton,  of  Catton,  to  whose  family  it  still  belongs. 

The  situation  of  Capesthorne  is  very  picturesque,  overlooking  a  chain  of  pools 
supplied  from  Reedsmere,  a  fine  sheet  of  water  above,  on  which  is  still  to  be  seen 
the  old  Floating  Island — about  an  acre  in  size,  which,  though  now  stationary,  for  many 
years  formerly  used  to  roam  about  the  mere  just  as  the  wind,  the  trees  growing  on 
it  acting  as  sails,  dictated. 

The  Macclesfield  Forest  hills  and  "Cloud  End"  form  an  almost  Scotch  background, 
and  the  old  thorn  trees  in  the  park  are  in  spring  an  attraction  to  many  sightseers. 

The  old  feudal  rights  of  this  family  were  very  important.  The  Grand  Sergeancy 
of  the  Forests  of  Macclesfield,  an  hereditary  ofiice  still  held  by  Mr.  Davenport,  con- 
ferred the  power  of  life  and  death  over  a  vast  area  "without  delay  and  without 
appeal" — and  at  Capesthorne  is  preserved  a  long  roll,  (without  date  but  very  ancient,) 
containing  the  names  of  the  master  robbers  taken  and  beheaded  with  their  companions 
in  the  times  of  Vivian,  Roger,  and  Thomas  de  Davenport. 


30  CAPESTHORNE. 

There  are  many  pictures  of  value  and  interest,  especially  tlie  Giotto,  the  gem  of 
the  old  Bromley  collection  of  ancient  Italian  masters,  a  beautiful  landscape  by 
Velasquez,  a  view  of  Antwerp  by  Minderhout,  etc.,  etc. 

The  library  contains  many  books  of  extreme  rarity  and  value,  and  is  especially 
rich  in  old  Italian  literature. 

The  contents  of  the  deed  closets  are  of  great  antiquity,  and  of  these  and  the 
manuscripts  generally,  some  account  is  given  in  the  Report  of  the  Historical  Commission 
published  in  1871. 

The  first  recorded  ancestor  of  this  family  is  Ormus  or  Orme  (living  temp.  William 
the  Conqueror),  whose  son  Richard  had  Marton  Manor  in  frank  marriage  with  Ama- 
bilia,  daughter  of  Gilbert  Venables,  in  1188,  from  which  date  to  the  present  the  said 
manor  (adjoining  Capesthorne)  has  never  left  the  possession  of  the  Davenports. 


D 
O 
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O 


POWERSCOUET, 

NEAR   ENNISKERRTj    COUNTY   OP   WICKLOW. VISCOUNT   POWERSCOURT. 


PowERSCouRT,  distant  from  Bray  about  four  miles,  is  approaclied  by  a  handsome 
arched  gateway  of  granite,  and  an  avenue  of  beech  trees  about  a  mile  long,  over- 
looking the  valley  of  the  River  Dargle,  the  name  of  which  is  a  corruption  of  the 
Celtic  "Dah-glen,-"^  the  "Valley  of  the  Oaks,"  from  the  ancient  forest,  the  remains  of 
which  still  exist  in  the  deer  park. 

The  house,  built  of  granite  about  1730,  presents  a  Grecian  fagade  to  the  north 
or  entrance  front,  with  a  central  block  and  wings,  terminated  by  gateways  and 
obelisks  surmounted  by  eagles.  The  south  front  overlooks  the  terraces  and  the  view 
across  the  valley  to  the  "Great  Sugar-loaf,^'  called  in  Irish  "The  Silver  Spear,"  a 
conical  mountain  somewhat  resembling  Vesuvius  in  form,  one  thousand  six  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  above  the  sea,  the  cone  of  which  is  of  granite,  piercing  through  the 
overlying  strata  of  clay-slate. 

The  view  from  the  mansion  is  of  great  beauty,  embracing  a  panorama  of  the 
Wicklow  mountains,  and  a  richly  wooded  landscape,  sloping  down  to  the  river. 

The  house  stands  upon  the  sight  of  the  ancient  castle  of  the  O'Tooles,  and  the 
estate  was  granted  by  Queen  Elizabeth  to  Sir  Richard  Wingfield,  Marshal  of  Ireland, 
created  first  Viscount  Powerscourt,  for  services  rendered  to  the  Crown  in  subduing 
the  lawless  Septs  that  inhabited  this  district  during  her  reign. 

The  house  is  entered  in  the  north  front  by  a  large  but  low  entrance  hall,  filled  with 
armour  and  stags'  heads,  whence  the  principal  staircase  leads  to  the  saloon,  which 
is  over  the  entrance  hall,  both  being  of  the  same  dimensions,  sixty  feet  by  forty. 
The  saloon,  however,  runs  up  to  the  roof  of  the  house,  two  stories  high,  and  is  forty 
feet  in  height.  The  upper  part  of  it  has  two  galleries,  supported  by  Ionic  columns, 
and  it  is  lighted  from  these  galleries,  which  communicate  with  the  bedroom  floor. 

Groups  of  statuary  are  placed  between  the  columns,  and  the  floor  is  of  chesnut 
wood.  In  this  saloon  King  George  IV.  was  entertained  at  a  banquet  by  the  present 
Viscount's  grandfather,  on  the  occasion  of  his  visit  to  Ireland  in  1821.  The  chimney- 
piece  is  modern,  designed  by  Pegrazzi  of  Verona,  from  one  in  the  Doge's  Palace 
at  Venice;  and  the  bronze  fire-dogs,  fender,  etc.,  came  from  a  palace  there,  and  are 
attributed  to  John  of  Bologna. 

There  is  a  curious  old  harpsichord  in  this  room,  exhibited  at  South  Kensington  in 
1872,  dated  1612,  and  painted  inside  and  out  by  Vandermeulen  with  subjects  taken 
from  the    sieges   of   various  towns   in   the  wars  of  Louis  the   Fourteenth.     It   is   also 


32  ■  POWERSCOURT. 

marked  as  having  been  restored  by  Pascal  Taskin,  in  1774,  and  it  was  purchased 
from  the  Bankers  Torlonia  at  Rome,  in  1841,  as  having  belonged  to  Marie  Antoinette, 
by  the  present  Yiscount's  father. 

The  two  drawing-rooms  open  from  the  saloon,  on  the  south  front  of  the  house,  and 
contain  pictures  by  Rembrandt,  Titian,  Tintoretto,  Guercino,  etc. 

Below  the  drawing-rooms,  on  the  ground  floor,  are  the  dining-room,  morning  room, 
and  library.  The  dining-room  contains  pictures  principally  of  the  modern  French 
and  Belgian  schools,  by  Rosa  Bonheur,  Corot,  Achenbach,  etc.  In  the  morning  room 
are  two  interesting  pictures,  one  of  Marshal  Sir  Richard  Wingfield,  first  Viscount 
Powerscourt,  and  one  of  his  uncle  Sir  Anthony  Wingfield,  K.G.  This  latter  picture 
is  mentioned  in  the  Letters  of  the  Honourable  Horace  Walpole  (Lord  Orford), 
Letter  XXVIH.  to  Richard  Bentley,  Esq.  The  story  told  about  the  picture  (painted 
by  Holbein)  was  that  the  housekeeper,  in  showing  the  house  at  Letheringham,  in 
SuSblk,  used  to  say  that  Sir  Anthony  had  had  his  thumb  cut  oQ"  for  striking  some 
one  in  the  king's  presence.  The  picture  shows  the  thumb  tucked  into  the  girdle, 
and  the  housekeeper  probably  invented  the  story,  to  account  for  the  thumb  being 
hidden  by  the  girdle.  The  story,  however,  is  sufficient  to  identify  the  picture,  which 
was  purchased  by  Frederick,  fourth  Marquis  of  Londonderry,  at  the  sale  of  Mr. 
Dawson  Turner's  pictures  at  Messrs.  Christie  and  Manson^s  in  1852,  and  given  to  the 
present  Viscount,  his  step-son.     The  other  pictures  in  this  room  are  also  family  portraits. 

The  terraces  on  the  south  front,  commenced  in  1842,  were  designed  by  Mr. 
Daniel  Robertson,  from  the  plan  of  the  Villa  Butera,  in  Sicily.  The  upper  terrace, 
of  granite,  is  about  three  hundred  yards  long,  opening  at  the  west  end  into  the 
gardens,  and  is  ornamented  with  marble  statues  and  vases.  Below  this  is  a  second 
terrace,  formed  in  grass  slopes,  with  a  central  flight  of  steps,  and  an  alcove  in 
granite,  decorated  with  bronze  vases  and  two  cinque-cento  bronze  Tritons,  spouting 
water  into  a  basin.  These  two  figures  came  from  the  collection  of  Prince  Jerome 
Napoleon  Bonaparte,  and  were  sold  by  him  after  the  burning  of  the  Palais  Royal, 
in  Paris,  by  the  Communists  in  1870.  They  formerly  belonged  to  the  palace  of  the 
Duke  de  Litta  at  Milan. 

The  surrounding  grounds  are  planted  with  choice  coniferous  and  other  trees  and 
shrubs.  The  deer  park  is  a  deep  glen,  containing  the  highest  waterfall  in  the  British 
Islands.  The  surrounding  woods  are  the  remains  of  the  original  self-sown  oak  forest 
which  anciently  covered  a  great  portion  of  this  part  of  Ireland. 


The  family  of  Wingfield,  from  which  Lord  Powerscourt  descends,  is  described  by 
Camden  as  "famous  for  their  knighthood  and  ancient  nobility,'^  and  stated  to  have 
been  settled  at  Wingfield,  in  the  county  of  Suffolk,  before  the  Conquest.  The  senior 
line  became  extinct,  but  the  junior  derives  from 

Sir  Robert  Wingfield,  Knight  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  greatly  distinguished  in  the 
civil  wars  in  Ireland,  over  which  country  he  was  appointed  Marshal  by  Queen  Elizabeth 
in  1600,  which  office  was  confirmed  to  him  by  James  the  First. 


^  , ' 


-J 

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STUDLEY    CASTLE, 

NEAR     STUDLEY,     W  ARWICKSHIRE.-^-W  ALKEE. 


At  the  Conquest  the  parish  of  Studley  was  entirely  in  possession  of  William,  son 
of  Corbicon,  whose  son  Peter  passed  it  away  with  his  daughter  in  marriage  to 
Henry  de  Montfort.  It  afterwards  came  into  possession  of  William  Beauchamp, 
Lord  Abergavenny,  and  eventually  was  possessed  by  the  Knights  Templars.  The 
above-named  Peter  founded  a  Priory  of  regular  Augustine  Canons  here  in  the  reign 
of  King  Stephen,  which  was  so  amply  endowed  that  in  1399  the  monks  were  enabled 
to  begin  rebuilding  the  church  constructed  at  their  foundation.  After  the  dissolution 
of  this  priory,  the  site  of  the  monastery,  with  the  manor  of  Studley,  were  granted  to 
Sir  Edmund  Knightley,  Sergeant-at-Law  in  the  30th.  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  and  it 
subsequently  passed  by  marriage  to  John  Knotsford,  Sergeant-at-Arms.  The  remains 
are  now  occupied  as  a  farmhouse,  and  several  tenements,  occupied  by  labourers  on 
the  estate,  have  been  constructed  out  of  the  ruins   of  the  old  castle. 

The  present  magnificent  structure  was  erected  by  the  late  Sir  Francis  Lyttleton 
Holyoake  Goodricke,  about  the  year  1830,  from  whom  the  property  was  purchased  by 
the  father  of  the  present  proprietor. 

The  Castle,  which  is  in  the  pure  Norman  style  of  architecture,  is  built  entirely  of 
native  stone,  and  seated  on  a  commanding  eminence,  sixteen  miles  south  of 
Birmingham,  fifteen  east  of  Worcester,  fourteen  west  of  Warwick,  and  fifteen  west  of 
of  Leamington. 

Placed  in  a  finely  timbered  park  of  eight  hundred  acres,  very  extensive  and 
charming  views  over  Warwickshire  and  Worcestershire  are  obtained  from  the  terraces 
along  the  south  front  of  the  Castle,  from  whence  also  the  river  Arrow  may  be  seen 
winding  its    way. 

The  mansion  comprises  centre  and  two  wings,  and  forms  three  sides  of  a  quadrangle, 
the  fourth  being  enclosed  as  a  courtyard,  by  a  dwarf  turreted  wall,  entered  through 
massive  iron   gates    with   noble    entrance    and  porte    cochere. 

The  entrance  hall  opens  to  a  vestibule  occupying  the  whole  of  the  principal  tower, 
one  hundred  feet  high,  and  from  this  open  the  principal  reception  rooms,  dining  hall 
saloon,   octagon   library,   small  round  towers,  etc. 

The    east   wing   is    entirely    appropriated    to    the    family    apartments,    and   the   west 
contains    billiard  room,   gun  room,    servants'   offices,   etc.,   etc.,  etc. 
III.  F 


34        '  STUDLEY    CASTLE. 

The  grand  staircase,  (whidi  is  of  polislied  oak,  as  are  all  tlie  floors,)  leads  to 
tlie  great  gallery,  round  tlie  octagon  tower,  wliicli  opens  to  tlie  visitors'  rooms,  and 
corridors  from  this  gallery  communicate  with  the  wings  of  the  mansion. 

The  principal  rooms  form  a  noble  suite,  and  open  to  a  broad  gravel  terrace,  looking 
upon  the  park  and  ornamental  waters  and  the  beautiful  lawns  and  pleasure  grounds, 
which  abound  with  luxuriant  flowering  shrubs,  evergreens,  and  ornamental  trees  of 
fine  growth,  and   are    studded  with  forest  timber. 

The  district  is  the  most  beautiful  part  of  Warwickshire,  on  the  border  of  Worces- 
tershire, beautifully  undulated,  and  thickly  timbered,  being  part  of  the  ancient  forest 
of   Arden. 

Here  are  some  of  the  choicest  examples  of  Titian,  Guido,  Landseer,  Rosa  Bonheur, 
Goodall,   Maclise,    Heywood-Hardy,   Lance,  David    Cox,    etc. 

One  of  the  greatest  ornaments  of  the  castle  is  the  magnificent  service  of  Malachite 
and  Gold,  from  the  collection  of  the  late  Prince  Demidofi",  which  was  brought  here 
with  many    other  works  of  art  from  San  Donato. 

In  old  times  there  was  a  deer  park  attached  to  the  Castle,  but  herds  of  High- 
land cattle  have  now  taken  the  place  of  their  fleeter,  but  not  more  picturesque 
predecessors. 

Thomas  Eades  Walker,  Esq.,  the  present  proprietor  of  Studley  Castle,  elder  son 
of  Thomas  Walker,  Esq.,  of  Berkswell  Hall,  in  the  same  county,  born  in  1843,  was 
educated  at  Harrow  and  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  and  elected  M.P.  for  East  Worces- 
tershire at  the  general  election  in  1874.  He  is  descended  from  an  old  Warwickshire 
family,  who  have  been  landowners  in  this  county  for  many  generations,  but  which 
owes  its  present  position  to  the  genius  and  great  business  capability  of  the  father 
of  the  present  owner  of  Studley,  who  was  for  many  years  largely  interested  in  the 
iron  trade  of  the  Midland  Counties. 


K 

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ESHTON    HALL, 

NEAR    SKIPTON,    YORKSHIRE. — WILSON,    BARONET. 


EsHTON  Hall,  formerly  the  residence  of  the  ''De  Esshetons^'  (Ranulf  de  Bston 
was  living  in  1186,  and  John  de  Eston  contested  the  right  to  the  Earldom  and  estates 
of  Albemarle  with  King  Edward  the  First,)  passed  into  the  Clifford  property,  and 
was  sold  by  George,  Earl  of  Cumberland,  in  1597,  to  Robert  Bindloss,  Esq.,  of 
Borick,  and  in  1646  the  hall,  estate,  and  manor  were  sold  by  Sir  Robert  Bindloss, 
Bart.,  to  Mathew  Wilson,  of  Kendal,  a  merchant  clothier,  and  Blackwell  Hall,  factor, 
of  Coleman  Street,  in  the  City  of  London,  ancestor  of  the  present  owner. 

The  house,  rebuilt  by  his  father  in  1825-6,  from  designs  by  the  late  George  Webster, 
of  Kendal,  architect,  is  of  white  freestone,  on  an  eminence  that  commands  a  beautiful 
home  view,  is  entered  by  a  portal  consisting  of  massive  piers,  faced  with  Doric  on 
the  basement,  and  surmounted  by  Ionic  pilasters,  finishing  at  the  summit  by  a  pierced 
battlement  and  rich  scroll-work.  The  entrance  is  thirty  feet  by  twenty  feet,  opening 
by  folding  doors  on  a  handsome  saloon;  staircase  of  carved  oak,  thirty  feet  square, 
lighted  by  a  dome;  on  the  right  the  dining-room,  thirty-six  feet  by  twenty-four  feet; 
beyond  this  the  morning-room,  twenty  feet  square;  on  the  left  the  library,  forty  feet 
by  twenty -four  feet,  with  a  bay-window,  and  communicating  by  folding  doors  with  the 
drawing-room,  thirty-four  feet  by  twenty-four  feet,  with  a  bay-window:  all  these  rooms 
are  sixteen  feet  high.  The  billiard-room  is  behind  the  staircase,  thirty  feet  by  twenty 
feet,  opening  into  the  staircase  and  into  the  drawing-room,  and  by  the  bay-window 
into  the  flower  garden.  The  library  and  drawing-room  fitted  up  as  a  library,  contain 
ten  thousand  volumes,  especially  rich  in  topography,  collected  by  the  late  Miss 
Richardson-Currer,  Sir  Mathew  Wilson's  half-sister.  There  are  portfolios  of  engravings, 
articles  of  vertu  in  marble,  bronze,  nola  vases,  cabinets,  and  china;  a  good  collection. 
of  pictures  by  old  masters,  and  family  portraits. 


The  family  of  Wilson  descends  from 

Robert  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Brigsteare,  Haversham,  Westmoreland,  and  Alice  his  wife. 
Their  son, 

Mathew  Wilson,  Esq.,  became  possessed  of  Eshton  Hall  by  purchase,  as  above 
stated.     He  died  in  London  in  1656,  and  was  succeeded  by 


36  ESHTON    HALL. 

John  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Eshton  Hall,  wlio,  by  his  wife  Dorothy,  was  father  of,  with 
other  younger  children, 

Mathew  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Eshton  Hall,  married  June  28th.,  1699,  Anne,  daughter 
of  Timothy  Blackburne,  Esq.,  of  Blackburne  Hall,  in  Swaledale,  Yorkshire,  and  was 
succeeded  by  bis  son, 

Mathew  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Eshton  Hall,  baptized  October  14th.,  1706,  who  married 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Henry  Wiglesworth,  Esq.,  of  Slaidburn,  and  had,  with  other 
issue,  his  heir, 

Mathew  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Eshton  Hall,  Barrister-at-Law,  born  February  12th., 
1730.  He  married  July  7th,,  1759,  Frances,  daughter  of  Eichard  Clive,  Esq.,  of 
Styche,  Salop,  M.P.  for  Montgomeryshire,  and  sister  of  Robert  Clive,  first  Lord 
Clive.  By  her  he  left  a  daughter,  Margaret  Clive  Wilson,  who  married,  first, 
February  3rd.,  1783,  the  Rev.  Henry  Richardson,  M.A.,  Rector  of  Thornton,  (who 
assumed  the  surname  and  arms  of  Currer,)  and  died  10th.  November,  1784,  leaving 
only  a  daughter,  she  married  secondly,  November  20th.,  1800,  her  cousin, 

Mathew  Wilson,  Esq.,  born  August  10th.,  1722,  who  thus  became  of  Eshton 
Hall,  and  had  issue. 

Sir  Mathew  Wilson,  J.P.  and  D.L.,  M.P.  for  the  Northern  Division  of  the  West 
Riding  of  Yorkshire,  born  August  29th.,  1802,  created  a  Baronet  in  1874.  He 
married,  June  15th.,  1826,  Sophia  Louisa  Emerson  Amcotts,  only  daughter  and 
co-heiress  of  Sir  Wharton  Emerson  Amcotts,  Bart.,  of  Kettlethorpe  Park,  Lincolnshire, 
by  his  second  wife,  Amelia  Theresa  Campbell,  and  has  a  son, 

Mathew  Wharton  Wilson,  born  20th.  March,  1827,  formerly  of  the  11th.  Hussars, 
married,  13th.  November,  1850,  Gratiana  Mary,  only  daughter  of  Admiral  Richard 
Thomas,  of  Stonehouse,  and  has  a  son,  Mathew  Amcotts,  1st.  West  York  Rifles,  born 
2nd.  January,  1853,  married  8th.  October,  1874,  Georgina  Mary,  eldest  daughter  of 
Richard  T.  Lee,  Esq.,  of  Grove  Hall,  Yorkshire. 


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CAEN    WOOD    TOWERS, 


HIGHQATE,  MIDDLESEX. — BROOKE. 


This  beautiful  edifice^  built  on  the  site  of  the  Fitzroy  Farm  and  Dufferin  Lodge, 
(the  late  residence  of  Lord  Dufferin,)  has  been  recently  erected  by  its  present  pro- 
prietor, Mr.  Edward  Brooke.  The  house  is  of  a  highly  ornamented  character 
throughout,  and  the  interior  especially  is  richly  decorated  with  carving.  The  ante- 
hall  is  laid  with  black  and  white  marble,  and  the  chimney-pieces  here  and  in  other 
rooms  are  richly  carved  from  designs  by  the  architects.  "The  ceilings  of  the 
dining-rooms,  the  halls,  the  morning  room,  and  library  are  of  panelled  wainscot, 
moulded  and  carved,  with  an  elaborately-carved  chimney-piece  in  the  dining-room, 
also  of  wainscot,  worked  up  to  the  ceiling.  On  either  side  of  the  dining-room 
chimney-piece  are  windows  looking  into  a  fernery,  with  fountains.  The  upper  portion 
of  the  windows  above  the  transome  is  fitted  with  stained  glass  of  a  geometrical 
pattern.  The  staircase  windows  are  filled  with  stained  glass;  the  large  one  with 
the  armorial  bearings  of  the  Brooke  family  for  eighteen  generations;  the  side  lights, 
with  subjects  from  Tennyson's  poems.'"  In  the  windows  of  the  billiard-room  are 
representations  of  various  out-door  sports  and  pastimes,  as  hunting,  cricket,  archery, 
etc.,  also  in  stained  glass. 

''The  morning  room  is  lined  with  old  Cordova  leather,  brought  from  Antwerp, 
which  was  put  up  in  a  mansion  there  when  Antwerp  was  under  Spanish  rule:  it  is  in 
a  fine  state  of  preservation.  The  ceiling  of  this  room  is  decorated  to  agree  with  the 
leather,  the  upper  portions  of  the  windows  being  fitted  with  designs  of  the  seasons; 
the  frieze  of  the  cornice  having  heads  modelled  from   Scriptural  subjects.^' 

Highgate,  in  such  near  proximity  to  the  city  of  London,  is  rich  in  historical  asso- 
ciations, and  especially  has  it  been,  for  many  generations,  the  retreat  of  literary  men. 
Coleridge  lived  for  some  time  here,  at  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  "looking  down,^^  as 
Carlyle  says,  "on  London  and  its  smoke-tumult,  like  a  sage  escaped  from  the  inanity 
of  life's  battle,  attracting  towards  him  the  thoughts  of  innumerable  brave  souls  still 
engaged  there, — ^heavy  laden,  high  aspiring,  and  surely  much-suffering  men."  Mac 
Dowell  the  sculptor.  Dr.  Southwood  Smith,  and  Mr.  David  Williams,  the  founder  of 
the  Literary  Fund,  were  also  residents  of  this  place.  Andrew  Marvell,  the  patriot 
representative  of  Hull,  the  friend  and  benefactor  of  Milton,  and  the  first  to  discover 
and  make  known  the  genius  of  "Paradise  Lost,''  had  a  house  at  Highgate.  These 
are  but  a  few  of   the    literati   of  past   generations  who  have    honoured   this  suburban 


38  CAEN    WOOD    TOWERS. 

village  with  their  presence;  while  to-day  it  is  the  adopted  residence  of  many  of  their 
successors  in  the  world  of  science  and  letters. 

Here^  about  the  year  1630,  Cromwell  built  for  himself  "Cromwell  House/'  where, 
however,  it  is  thought  he  paid  but  occasional  visits.  Prickett,  the  historian  of 
Highgate,  says  that  this  residence  of  the  Protector's  "was  evidently  built  and  inter- 
nally ornamented  in  accordance  with  the  taste  of  its  military  occupant.  The  staircase, 
which  is  of  handsome  proportions,  is  richly  decorated  with  oaken  carved  figures, 
supposed  to  be  of  persons  in  the  general's  army,  in  their  costume;  and  the  balus- 
trade filled  in  with  devices  emblematical  of  warfare.  On  the  ceiling  of  the  drawing- 
room  are  the  arms  of  General  Ireton:  this  and  the  other  ceilings  of  the  principal 
apartments  are  enriched  in  conformity  with  the  fashion  of  those  days.  The  proportions 
of  the  noble  rooms,  as  well  as  the  brickwork  in  front,  well  deserve  the  notice  and 
study  of  the  antiquary  and  the  architect." 

The  chapel  of  Highgate,  which  occupied  the  site  of  a  hermit's  cell,  was  granted 
by  Bishop  Grindal,  afterwards  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  in  1565,  to  a  new  gi-ammar 
school,  erected  and  endowed  the  year  before  by  Sir  Roger  Cholmeley,  late  Lord 
Chief  Justice.  This  was  pulled  down  many  years  ago,  and  the  church  built  in 
another  part  of  the  village.  Among  the  tombs  was  that  of  Coleridge,  the  poet  and 
philosopher.  The  present  church  was  built  in  1832,  at  a  cost  of  £10,000,  in  the 
parish  of  St.  Pancras;  but  shortly  afterwards  Highgate  was  made  a  district  of  itself. 


< 

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P3 


BIEE    CASTLE, 

PARSONSTOWN,    KING'S    COUNTY^    IRELAND. EARL   OF    ROSSE. 


The  castle  o£  Birr  was  considered  to  be  tlie  chief  seat  of  the  O'Carrols,  chieftains 
of  the  Sept.  A  great  battle  was  fought  in  the  vicinity  in  241,  between  Cormac, 
son  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles,  and  the  people  of  Munster.  The  place  suffered 
much  from  the  ravages  of  the  Danes  in  841  and  842;  and  in  1154,  O'Hedergool, 
King  of  Cathlingie,  was  killed  at  the  church-door.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war  of  1641,  William  Parsons  was  made  governor  of  Ely  O'Carrol  and  Birr  Castle, 
which  he  garrisoned  with  his  own  tenantry.  The  next  year  an  engagement  took 
place  between  the  garrison  and  the  Sept  of  the  O'Carrols;  and  in  the  same  year, 
1642,  the  castle  was  besieged  by  the  Irish,  but  was  relieved  by  Sir  Charles  Coote, 
who  threw  into  it  a  supply  of  ammunition  and  provisions.  This  action  was  deemed 
so  important,  that  it  procured  for  Sir  Charles  the  dignity  of  Earl  of  Mountrath. 
But  in  the  following  year  the  place  fell  into  the  hands  of  General  Preston,  commander 
of  the  forces  of  the  Confederate  Catholics  in  Leinster,  who  kept  possession  of  it 
till  it  was  taken  by  Ireton  in  1650;  and  a  subsequent  attempt  by  the  Marquis  of 
Clanricarde,  to  recover  it  for  the  King,  was  baffled  by  the  approach  of  Colonel 
Axtell.  At  the  time  of  the  Restoration  it  seems  that  the  place  was  of  some  commercial 
importance  {Birr  town),  from  the  number  of  brass  tokens  then  coined  for  the  conve- 
nience of  trade.  In  the  war  of  1688  the  castle  was  besieged  by  Colonels  Grace 
and  Oxburgh,  and  surrendered  in  terms  which  were  afterwards  made  grounds  of 
accusation  against  Sir  Lawrence  Parsons,  the  governor.  He  was  found  guilty  of  high 
treason,  but  received  a  pardon  after  several  reprieves.  At  this  period  Birr  is  mentioned 
by  Sir  William  Petty  as  sending  two  members  to  Parliament.  In  1689,  the  Roman 
Catholic  clergymen  took  possession  of  the  tithes  and  glebe,  which  they  held  till  the 
battle  of  the  Boyne.  In  1690  the  castle  was  besieged  by  General  Sarsfield,  the  Duke 
of  Berwick,  and  Lord  Galway;  but  the  siege  was  raised  by  Sir  John  Lanier  for  King 
WiUiam.  A  meeting  of  delegates  from  several  volunteer  corps  was  held  in  1781,  and 
again  in  1782,  at  which  strong  resolutions  were  passed  relative  to  the  great  questions 
which  then  absorbed  public  attention. 

The  late  Lord  Rosse,  who  devoted  much  time  and  thought  to  studies  connected  with 
astronomy,  and  other  branches  of  science,  had  a  laboratory,  with  machinery  for  polishing 
the  largest   specula  for   telescopes,  by  means  of   which   he   constructed   a   reflector    of 


40  BIRR    CASTLE. 

twenty-seven  feet  focal  lengtli,  tlie  great  speculum  of  wWcli  is  three  feet  in  diameter, 
and  another  of  fifty-three  feet  focal  length  and  six  feet  diameter,  still  the  largest  in 
the  world.  The  telescopes  stand  on  the  lawn  in  front  of  Birr  Castle,  and  are 
moved  by  machinery  which  also  was  the  invention  of  his  lordship.  The  smaller  one 
has  been  carried  by  a  mounting  similar  in  principle  to  that  of  Herschel's  celebrated 
telescope,  which,  however,  is  now  being  replaced  by  a  more  modern  structure. 


The  family  of  Lord  Rosse  descends  from  Lawrence  Parsons,  Esq.,  Attorney-General 
for  the  Province  of  Munster  in  1612. 


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ARBURY    HALL, 

NEAR   NUNEATON^    WARWICKSHIRE. NEWDEGATE. 


This  mansion  was  raised  on  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  priory,  and  is  indebted  to  the 
tasteful  exertions  of  the  late  Sir  Roger  Newdegate,  Bart.,  for  such  improvements  as 
render  it  a  most  elegant  specimen  of  the  compendious  Gothic  style.  The  house  is 
seated  in  the  midst  of  a  fine  and  extensive  park,  well  wooded  and  adorned  with 
artificial  expanses  of  water.  The  approach  on  the  north  is  through  a  long  and  mag- 
nificent avenue  of  trees,  the  lines  of  which,  rich  in  various  foliage,  are  broken  in  a 
manner  judiciously  conducive  to  the  picturesque.  The  exterior  of  the  building  is 
entirely  cased  with  stone,  and  each  front  presents  a  separate  design  of  architectural 
beauty,  though  all  are  consistent  in  general  character. 

The  whole  range  of  principal  apartments  is  finished  in  the  most  costly  style,  and 
combines  a  selection  of  the  more  beautiful  parts  of  Gothic  architecture,  made  with 
exquisite  taste.  The  ceiling  of  the  dining  room  is  enriched  with  pendant  ornaments, 
and  supported  with  taper  pillars.  In  niches,  delicately  canopied,  are  placed  good  casts 
from  the  antique;  and  in  a  recess  at  the  farther  end  is  inserted  the  top  of  a  sarco- 
phagus, brought  by  Sir  Robert  Newdegate  from  Rome,  on  which  is  sculptm^ed  the 
marriage  of  Bacchus  and  Ariadne.  The  drawing  room  is  of  moderate  but  pleasing 
proportions,  and  is  ornamented  in  a  style  particularly  chaste.  Inserted  in  the  panels 
of  this  room  are  five  whole-length  family  portraits,  and  different  armorial  bearings 
are  introduced,  on  small  shields  in  the  tracery  work  of  the  ceiling.  The  fine  bay 
window  of  the  saloon  looks  into  the  gardens,  which  are  extensive  and  disposed  with 
much  elegance.  The  ceiling  of  this  apartment  is  elaborately  worked  in  imitation  of 
King  Henry  the  Seventh^s  Chapel.  In  the  room  adjoining  the  saloon  is  the  well- 
known  picture  of  which  an  engraving  is  given  in  the  antiquities  of  Warwickshire. 
This  curious  painting  commemorates  the  achievements  of  Sir  John  de  Astley,  con- 
cerning whom  Dugdale  thus  writes: — ''Of  the  PatshuU  branch  of  the  Astley  family 
was  John  de  Astley,  who,  on  the  29th.  of  August,  1438,  maintaining  a  duel  on 
horseback,  within  the  street  called  Antoine,  in  Paris,  against  one  Peter  de  Masse,  a 
Frenchman,  in  the  prescence  of  Charles  the  Seventh,  King  of  France,  pierc't  the 
said  Peter  through  the  head,  and  had  (as  by  the  articles  betwixt  them  conditioned) 
the  helmit  of  the  said  Peter  being  so  vanquish'd,  to  present  unto  his  lady.  And  on 
the  30th.  of  January,  20  of  Henry  the  Sixth,  undertook  another  fight  in  the  Smythfield, 
within  the  city  of  London,  in  the  prescence  of  the  same  King  Henry  the  Sixth,  with 
III.  -  a 


42  ARBURY    HALL. 

Sir  Philip  Boyle,  an  Arragonian  Knight,  who  having  been  in  France,  by  the  King 
his  master's  command,  to  look  out  some  hardy  person  against  whom  he  might  try 
his  skill  in  feats  of  armes,  and  missing  there  of  his  desires,  repaired  hither.  After 
which  combate  ended  (being  gallantly  performed  on  foot,  with  battil-axes,  speares, 
swords,  and  daggers),  he  was  knighted  by  the  King,  with  an  annuity  of  one  hundred 
marks  during  his  life.  Nay,  so  famous  did  he  grow  for  his  valour,  that  he  was  elected 
Knight  of  the  Garter.'' 

This  family  represents,  through  an  heiress,  the  ancient  and  knightly  race  of  the 
name  descending  from  John  de  Newdegate,  living  in  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of 
Edward  the  Third.     In  the  male  line  it  descends  as  follows: — 

William  Parker,  Esq.,  of  Salford  Priors,  in  the  county  of  Warwick,  married 
Millicent  Newdigate,  daughter  of  Sir  Richard  Newdigate,  Bart.,  of  Arbury,  in  the 
same  shire,  and  Harefield,  Middlesex,  and  on  the  failure  of  the  male  line  of  the  said 
family  in  the  person  of  Sir  Roger  Newdigate,  LL.D.,  the  fifth  Baronet,  M.P.  for 
Middlesex,  1742,  and  for  the  University  of  Oxford  from  1750  for  many  following 
years.  Pounder  of  the  Prize  for  the  popular  "Newdigate"  Poem,  who  died  without 
issue  November  23rd.,  1806,  the  estates  came  to  his  descendants.     Their  third  son, 

Charles  Parker,  Esq.,  of  Arbury  and  Hai^efield,  married  Jane,  daughter  of  Sir  John 
Anstruther,  Bart.,  and  died  Apiil  24th.,  1795,  leaving,  with  other  issue,  an  eldest  son, 

Charles  Newdigate  Parker,  Esq.,  of  Harefield,  who  assumed  by  Royal  License 
the  surname  and  arms  of  Newdegate  only.  He  married,  April  15th.,  1815,  Maria, 
daughter  of  Ayscoghe  Boucherett,  Esq.,  of  Willingham  House  and  Stallingborough, 
Lincolnshire,  and  dying  April  23rd.,   1833,  left  an  only  son  and  successor, 

Charles  Newdigate  Newdegate,  of  Arbury  and  Harefield,  (the  former  of  which 
estates  he  came  into  possession  of  on  the  death  of  his  uncle,  Francis  Newdigate, 
Esq.,  of  Kirk  Hallam,  Derbyshire,  1835,)  J.P.,  D.L.,  D.C.L.,  M.P.  for  Warwickshire 
for  many  years,  born  July  14th.,  1816. 


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WEOXTON    ABBEY, 

NEAR   BANBURY,    OXFORDSHIRE. NORTH. 


This  place  formerly  belonged  to  canons  regular  of  St.  Augustine,  but  tbe  original 
buildings  having  been  destroyed  by  fire,  the  present  extensive  and  very  noble  mansion 
was  erected  on  its  site,  about  the  commencement  of  the  seventeenth  century.  It  has 
since,  at  different  times,  received  various  additions  and  improvements,  in  all  of  which 
the  ancient  baronial  character  of  the  edifice  has  been  scrupulously  preserved.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  the  gardens  and  pleasure-grounds,  whose  monastic  features  will 
still  be  viewed  with  particular  interest,  as  here  no  innovating  hand  has  ever  been 
allowed  to  intrude. 

The  building  is  of  an  ornamental  and  interesting  character,  though  it  is  not  com- 
pleted according  to  the  original  design,  as  an  intended  wing  on  the  south  side  was 
commenced.  The  Lord  Keeper  made  some  additions,  and  a  library  has  lately  been 
erected  after  a  plan  by  Mr.  Smirke. 

The  chapel  is  a  room  beautified  by  the  first  Earl  of  Guilford. 

The  estate  came  into  the  possession  of  the  family  of  North,  by  the  marriage  of 
Francis,  Lord  Keeper  Guilford,  with  Lady  Frances  Pope,  sister  to  the  fourth  and 
last  Earl  of  Downe. 

The  mansion  is  enriched  by  many  ancient  portraits  of  the  families  of  Pope  and 
North.  Among  the  former  is  an  original  of  Sir  Thomas  Pope,  founder  of  Trinity 
College,  Oxford,  and  uncle  of  the  first  Earl  of  Downe.  Of  the  latter  there  is  a 
complete  series  of  Lords  North,  from  Edward,  the  first  Lord,  created  in  the  reign 
of  Philip  and  Mary,  to  the  present  time. 

The  church  of  Wroxton  contains  many  monuments  which  demand  notice.  On  a 
black  marble  gravestone  is  an  inscription  to  "'Elizabeth,  late  wife  of  Francis  Lord 
Guilford,  and  one  of  the  daughters  of  the  Right  Honourable  Fulke  Lord  Brooke." 
She  died  in  1699.  Another  gravestone  of  a  similar  description,  commemorates 
Francis  Lord  Guilford  himself,  Lord  Keeper  of  the  Great  Seal,  born  October  22nd., 
1637,  died  September  5th.,  1685.  On  the  north  side  of  the  chancel  is  a  magnificent 
tomb,  with  the  recumbent  eflS.gies  of  William  Pope,  first  Earl  of  Downe,  and  his  lady. 
On  the  same  side  of  the  chancel  is  a  marble  tablet  affixed  to  the  wall,  surmounted 
with  angels,  to  the  memory  of  the  Lady  of  the  Lord  Keeper  Guilford.  On  the  south 
wall  of  the  chancel  is  a  monument  to  Francis,  Earl  of  Guilford,  and  his  three  wives. 
Immediately  adjoining  is  an  elegant  monument,  lately  erected  to  the  memory   of   the 


44  WROXTON    ABBEY. 

Prime  Minister^  Lord  North,  wlio  had  succeeded  to  the  Earldom  of  Guilford  a  short 
time  prior  to  his  death.  In  a  niche  to  the  right  of  the  communion  rails  is  a  brass 
plate,  formerly  attached  to  a  gravestone,  with  this  inscription:  "Here  lyeth  under  this 
stone  buryed,  Margaret  Bostarde,  widowe,  sometime  the  wyf  of  William  Pope,  of 
Dedington,  in  the  county  of  Oxford,  Gent.,  and  afterwards  married  to  John  Bostarde, 
of  Atterbury;  which  William  and  Margaret  were  father  and  mother  to  Sir  Thomas 
Pope,  Knight,  and  John  Pope,  Esq."  She  died  in  1557.  The  church  likewise 
contains  a  monument  of  one  of  the  family  of  Sacheverell. 


The  family  of  North  descends  in  the  male  line  from 

William  Doyle,  Esq.,  of  Clonmoney,  in  the  county  of  Carlow,  who  married  Jane, 
daughter  of  Howard  Egan,  Esq.,  and  left  a  son, 

Charles  Doyle,  Esq.,  of  Bramblestown,  in  the  county  of  Kilkenny.  He  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Nicholas  Milley,  and  left  at  his  decease,  in  1769, 
with  several  other  children,  an  eldest  son, 

William  Doyle,  Esq.,  Barrister-at-Law,  King's  Counsel,  and  Master  in  Chancery  in 
Ireland.  This  gentleman  married  twice,  and  by  his  second  wife,  Cecilia,  daughter  of 
General  Silvani,  of  the  Austrian  Service,  left,  with  other  issue,  two  sons,  of  whom 
the  elder, 

Lieutenant-General  Sir  Chakles  William  Doyle,  K.C.B.,  K.C.,  K.C.S.,  G.C.H., 
who  married,  first  in  1803,  Sophia  Cramer,  daughter  of  Sir  John  Coghill,  Baronet, 
by  whom  he  had  three  sons  and  a  daughter.     The  second    son, 

Colonel  John  Sidney  Doyle,  M.P.  for  Oxfordshire  in  1852,  1857,  1865,  etc.,  J. P. 
and  D.L.  for  Oxfordshire,  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Oxfordshire  Rifle  Volunteers, 
pi^eviously  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Irish  Fusiliers,  born  1804,  married,  in  1835, 
Susan,  Baroness  North,  in  her  own  right,  daughter  and  co-heiress  of  George  Augustus, 
third  Earl  of  Guilford,  and  ninth  Baron  North.  He  assumed  in  1838  the  surname 
of  North  in  lieu  of  his  patronymic.     His  eldest  son, 

William  Henry  John  North,  of  Kirtling,  in  Cambridgeshire,  Lieutenant  in  the 
First  Life  Guards,  and  Captain  in  the  Queen's  Own  Oxfordshire  Yeomanry  Cavalry, 
born  October  5th.,  1836,  married,  January  12th.,  1858,  Frederica,  daughter  of  Richard 
Howe  Cockerell,  Esq.,  Commander  R.N.,  and  had,  with  several  other  children, 

William  Frederick  John  North,  born  October  13th.,  1860, 


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COUGHTON    COURT, 

NEAR    ALCESTER,    WARWICKSHIRE. THROCKMORTON,    BARONET. 


CouGHTON  is  situated  between  Icknield  Street  and  the  river  Arrow,  about  two  miles 
from    Alcester,   in    a  finely   wooded    country,   diversified  by    hills. 

In  the    time  of  the   Conqueror   it  was    in  the  possession  of  Turchill   de   Warwick. 

It  was  afterwards  held  by  a  family  who  assumed  their  surname  from  hence.  Simon 
de  Cocton,  or  Coughton,  left  two  daughters,  one  of  whom,  Joan,  was  married  to 
William  de  Spineto,  whereby  this  lordship  came,  by  partition,  to  the  Spiney  family. 
Guy  de  la  Spine  left  issue  two  daughters,  one  of  whom,  Alianore,  married  John,  the 
son  of  Thomas  Throckmorton,  Esq.,  by  which  marriage,  this  lordship  of  Coughton, 
coming  to  the  line  of  Throckmorton,  hath  continued  therein  to  this  day.  This  John 
died   in  1455. 

The  original  seat  of  this  family  was  at  Throckmorton,  in  the  parish  of  Fladbury, 
in  Worcestershire,   which   is    still  in  their   possession. 

Some  part  of  the  house  at  Coughton  was  built  when  held  by  the  Spineys.  It  was 
a  quadrangle  built  round  a  court,  and  surrounded  by  a  moat.  The  tower  was  erected 
by  Sir  George  Throckmorton,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth.  The  entrance 
formerly  was  over  a  bridge,  which  crossed  the  moat,  and  through  the  gateway  of 
the   tower  into    the   quadrangle. 

Considerable  alterations  were  made  in  the  building,  by  Sir  Francis  Throckmorton, 
in  the  time  of  Charles  the  Second.  It  had  been  previously  plundered  by  the 
Parliament  forces,  and  the  proprietor.  Sir  Robert,  the  fii'st  Baronet,  was  ejected, 
and  resided   at   Worcester. 

About  the  year  1780,  Sir  Robert  Throckmorton  took  down  one  side  of  the 
quadrangle,  filled  up  the  moat,  enclosed  the  gateway,  fitting  it  up  as  a  hall,  and 
made  several  alterations  in  the  building.  In  this  hall  are  painted  on  the  windows 
the  arms  of  the  Throckmortons,  impaling  those  of  several  families  connected  with 
them. 


The  Baronetcy  in  this  ancient  family  dates  from  the  year  1642,  and  has  so  continued 
to  the   ninth   Baronet,    namely. 

Sir  Nicholas  William  Throckmorton,  of  Coughton  Court,  born  April  the  26th.,. 
1838. 


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EUSTON    HALL, 

NEAR    FAKENHAM,    SDPFOLK. — DUKE    OP   GRAFTON. 


EusTON  Hall  is  a  large  commodious  mansion  built  of  red  brick,  and  destitute  of 
superfluous  decorations  either  within  or  without. 

The  house  is  surrounded  by  trees  of  uncommon  growth,  and  of  healthy  and 
luxuriant  appearance;  near  it  glides  the  river  Ouse,  over  which  is  thrown  a  neat 
and  substantial  wooden  bridge.  The  scenery  about  this  mansion  combines  the  most 
delightful  assemblage  of  rural  objects,  and  is  justly  celebrated  by  the  author  of  the 
"Farmer's  Boy:" — 

"Where  noble  Grafton  spreads  his  rich  domains, 
Bound  Euston's  water'd  vale  and  sloping  plains; 
"Where  woods  and  groves  in  solemn  grandeur  rise." 

The  estate  of  Euston  is  of  very  considerable  extent,  its  circumference  being 
between  thirty  and  forty  miles,  and  embracing  a  great  number  of  villages  and 
hamlets. 

On  an  elevated  situation  in  the  park  stands  the  Temple.  This  elegant  structure, 
designed  for  a  banqueting  house,  was  built  by  the  celebrated  Kent,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  late  Duke  of  Grafton,  who  laid  the  first  stone  himself  in  1746.  It  is  in 
the  Grecian  style  of  architecture,  and  consists  of  an  upper  and  lower  apartment, 
forming  a  pleasing  object  from  many  points  of  view  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Euston, 
and  commanding  an  extensive  prospect. 

Fakenham  Wood,  the  scene  of  the  well-known  tale  of  the  ''Fakenham  Ghost,'' 
near  Euston  Hall,  is  perhaps  the  largest  in  the  county,  and  covers  three  hundred 
and  fourteen  acres. 


The  ducal  family  of  Grafton  descends  from 

Henry  Fitzroy,  second  son  of  His  Majesty  King   Charles  the  Second,  by  Barbara 
Villiers,  Duchess  of  Cleveland,  who  was  followed  in  succession  by 
Charles  Fitzroy,  second  Duke, 
Augustus  Henry  Fitzroy,  third  Dake, 


48  .  EUSTON    HALL. 

George  Henry  Fitzroy,  fourth  Duke, 

Henry  Fitzroy,  fifth  Duke, 

William  Henry  Fitzroy,  sixth  Duke,  born  August  4th.,  1819,  married,  February 
10th.,  1858,  to  the  Honourable  Mary  Louise  Anne  Baring,  daughter  of  Francis  Baring, 
third  Lord  Ashburton. 


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SEZINCOT, 

NEAK    MORTON-IN-THE-MARSH^    GLOUCESTERSHIRE. — RUSHOUT^    BARONET. 


This  elegant  mansion  is  situated  about  two  miles  and  a  half  from  the  town  of 
Morton,  about  seven  from  Camden,  and  nineteen  miles  north-east  from  the  city  of 
Gloucester.  It  was  entirely  erected  by  Sir  Charles  Cockerell,  Baronet,  in  the  style  of 
the  splendid  palaces  of  the  East.  The  grounds  are  varied  and  beautiful,  and  the  whole 
are  laid  out  with  very  great  taste  and  judgment;  a  part  is  called  the  Thornery.  These 
have  been  embellished  with  a  variety  of  ornamental  buildings  erected  in  the  most 
picturesque  situations.  The  Welhngton  Pillar,  the  Temple,  the  Bridge,  and  Fountain 
are  from  designs  by  Thomas  Daniell,  Esq.,  R.A. 


John  Cockerell,  Esq.,  of  Bishop^s  Hall,  near  Taunton,  Somersetshire,  was  father  of 

Sir  Charles  Cockerell,  created  a  Baronet,  September  25th.,  1809,  for  his  eminent 
services  as  a  civil  servant  in  India  from  1776  to  1800.  He  was  subsequently  a 
Member  of  Parliament  for  more  than  thirty  years.  He  married,  first,  March  11th., 
1789,  Maria  Tryphena,  daughter  of  Sir  Charles  William  Blunt,  Bart.,  by  whom  he  had 
no  issue;  and  secondly,  February  13th.,  1808,  the  Honourable  Harriet  Eushout, 
daughter    of    John,  first    Lord    Northwick,    and   had 

Sir  Charles  Cockerell,  born  June  11th.,  1809,  who  took,  by  royal  license,  the 
surname  and  arms  of  Rushout,  the  latter  quarterly  with  his  own.  He  married,  August 
5th.,  1834,  the  Honourable  Cecilia  Olivia  Geraldine  Foley,  daughter  of  Thomas,  third 
Lord  Foley,   and  had,    with    other   children. 

Sir  Charles  Fitzgerald  Rushout,  Captain  in  the  Royal  Horse  Guards,  born  July 
13th.,  1840.  He  married,  July  15th.,  1865,  Mary  Alice  Wentworth  Pennant,  only 
child   of  David   Pennant,  Esq.,  and  had,   with  other  issue,  a  son  and    heir, 

Charles    Hamilton   Rushout,  born  June   21st.,   1868. 

Cecilia   Blanche,   born   2nd.    October,    1870. 

Georgina  Mary,    born    3rd.   September,    1872. 


III.  H 


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KIMBOLTON    CASTLE, 

KIMBOLTON^      HUNTINGDONSHIRE. DUKE      OP      MANCHESTER. 


"The  east  side  of  the  county,'^  says  Cudd,  "is  adorned  with  the  castle  of  Kinni- 
bantum,  now  Kimbolton,  anciently  the  seat  of  the  Mandevilles,  afterwards  of  the 
Bohuns  and  StafFords,  and  now  of  the  Wingfields/^  Sir  Richard  Wingfield,  K.G., 
twelfth  son  of  Sir  John  Wingfield,  of  Letheringham,  in  Suffolk^  Knight,  and  Chancellor 
of  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster,  married,  first,  Katharine,  daughter  of  Richard,  Earl  Rivers, 
and  widow  of  Henry  Stafford,  Duke  of  Buckingham,  after  whose  attainder  he  obtained 
a  grant  of  Kimbolton  Castle  and  Lordship  from  Henry  the  Eighth,  with  whom  he 
was  highly  in  favour.  He  dying  whilst  Ambassador  in  Spain,  was  buried  at  Toledo, 
and  his  son.  Sir  James,  sold  Kimbolton  to  Sir  Henry  Montagu,  afterwards  first  Earl 
of  Manchester,  whose  lineal  descendant,  the  present  Duke  of  Manchester,  is  now  owner. 

Kimbolton  Castle,  the  seat  of  the  Earls  and  Dukes  of  Manchester,  is  of  unknown 
but  very  remote  origin.  "The  Castle,"  says  Leland,  "is  double  diked,  and  the  building 
of  it  metely  strong:  it  longed  to  the  Mandevilles,  Erles  of  Essex.  Sir  Richard  Wing- 
field  built  new  fair  lodgyns  and  galleries  upon  the  old  foundation  of  the  castle.  There 
is  a  plotte  now  clene  desolated  not  a  mile  by  west  from  Kimbolton,  called  Castle  Hill,. 
where  appear  ditches  and  tokens  of  old  buildings."  This  Castle  was  the  jointure  and 
became  the  retirement  of  Queen  Catharine  after  her  divorce  from  Henry  the  Eighth. 
Henry,  first  Earl  of  Manchester,  expended  large  sums  in  making  it  a  comfortable 
residence;  and  Robert,  his  grandson,  the  third  Earl,  made  further  and  very  considerable 
alterations  and  many  additions. 

Thomas  Montagu,  Gentleman,  who  lies  buried  at  Hemington,  in  Northamptonshire,, 
was  father  of 

Sir  Edward  Montagu,  the  immediate  ancestor  of  the  Earls  and  Dukes  of  Manchester. 
He  was  born  in  Brigstock,  in  that  county.  In  1547,  he  was  one  of  the  commissioners 
of  claim  at  the  young  king's  coronation.  On  the  accession  of  Queen  Mary,  he  was 
dismissed  from  his  oflB.ce  of  Judge,  and  imprisoned  in  the  Tower,  for  his  concern  in 
the  settlement  of  the  crown  upon  Lady  Jane  Grey.  He  died  in  February,  1556-7, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son. 

Sir  Edward  Montagu,  who  was  knighted  by  Queen  Elizabeth  in  1567,  and  died  in 
January,  1601.     His  successor  was  his  third  surviving  son. 

Sir  Henry  Montagu,  the   purchaser  of    Kimbolton,  who,  like    his    grandfather,  was 


52  KIMBOLTON     CASTLE. 

bred  to  the  law  in  the  Middle  Temple,  and  became  one  of  its  chief  luminaries. 
After  various  promotions,  he  was  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  Lord  High  Treasurer  by- 
King  James  the  First,  in  December,  1620.  About  a  fortnight  afterwards  he  was 
created  a  Baron,  by  the  title  of  Lord  Montagu  of  Kimbolton  and  Viscount  Mandeville. 
In  February,  1626,  he  was  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  Earl  of  Manchester.  He  died 
in  November,  1642.     His  eldest  son, 

Edward  Montagu,  succeeded  to  the  title  and  estates.  This  was  the  celebrated 
Parliamentary  General,  who  was  afterwards  Chamberlain  to  King  Charles  the  Second. 
His    eldest  sou,   by  the  second  of  his  five  wives,   by   whom   alone  he  had  issue, 

Robert  Montagu,  succeeded  him.  He  had  been  one  of  the  six  Lords,  members  of 
the  House  of  Commons,  deputed  to  wait  on  Prince  Charles  at  the  Hague,  and  invito 
him  to  return  to  the  government  of  the  kingdom.  He  died  at  Montpelier,  in  France, 
in  May,  1683,  but  was  brought  to  England,  and  interred  near  his  father  at  Kimbolton. 
His  eldest  surviving  son, 

Charles  Montagu,  fourth  Earl,  and  first  Duke  of  Manchestei',  '^had  the  advantages 
of  education,  both  at  the  University  of  Cambridge  and  abroad;  and  being  early  distin- 
guished for  a  manly  behaviour  and  polite  address,  was  appointed  carver  to  the  Queen 
at  the  coronation  of  King  James  the  Second.  Not  approving,  however,  of  the  measures 
of  that  reign,  he  retired  from  court;  and  at  the  Revolution,  secui-ed  Huntingdon- 
shire for  the  Prince  of  Orange,  by  raising  a  body  of  horse,  whilst  the  Prince  was 
landing.  He  assisted  at  the  coronation  of  King  William;  and  in  1690  accompanied 
him  to  Ireland,  where  he  was  present  at  the  battle  of  the  Boyne,  and  at  the  siege  of 
Limerick.  In  1696  he  was  appointed  Ambassador  Extraordinary  to  the  Republic  of 
Venice,  but  had  no  further  employment  during  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne.  On  the 
accession  of  George  the  First  he  was  made  one  of  the  Gentlemen  of  His  Majesty's 
Bedchamber,  and  finally,  in  consideration  of  his  great  services,  created  first  Duke  of 
Manchester  in  April,  1719.  He  died  in  January,  1721-2,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
eldest   son, 

William  Montagu,  second  'Duke,  born  in  France  in  1700,  during  his  father's 
embassy.  He  bore  the  Golden  Spurs  for  the  Earl  of  Essex  at  the  coronation  of 
George  the  Second,  and  in  1737  was  constituted  Captain  of  the  Yeomen  of  the 
Guard.  He  died  (sme  prole)  at  Bath,  October,  1739,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
brother, 

Robert  Montagu,  third  Duke,  who  was  Vice- Chamberlain  both  to  Queen  Caroline 
and  the  ruling  Sovereign.     He  died  in  May,  1762,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son, 

George  Montagu,  fourth  Duke,  on  whose  decease,  in  September,  1788,  his  eldest  son, 

William  Montagu,  fifth  Duke,  succeeded  to  the  family  honours  and  possessions. 
About  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  he  was  appointed  Governor  of 
Jamaica.     His   son  and  successor  was 

George  Montagu,  sixth  Duke,  commander  R.N.,  father  of 

William  Drogo  Montagu,  seventh  Duke,  who  married,  July  22nd.,  1852,  the  Countess 
Louise  Fredericke  Auguste,  daughter  of  Graf  von  Alton,  and  had,  with  other 
■children,    an  eldest  son, 

George  Victor  Drogo  Montagu,  born  June  17th.,  1853. 


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WESTONBIRT    HOUSE, 

NEAR    TETBURT^    GLOUCESTERSHIRE. HOLFORD. 


Elnod  held  Weston,  in  Langtrew  Hundred,  in  tlie  reign  of  King  Edward  the 
Confessor. 

Earl  Hugh  held  it  in  the  reign  of  King  William. 

Hugh  le  Despencer  the  younger  was  seized  of  the  manor  of  Westonbirt  in  the  fifth 
year  of  Edward  the  Second;  and  Thomas  Lord  Berkeley  held  it  in  the  thirty-fifth 
year  of  Edward  the  Third. 

Edward,  Duke  of  Somerset,  was  seized  of  this  manor,  and  after  his  attainder  it 
was  granted  to  James  Basset,  in  the  fourth  year  of  Queen  Mary;  and  afterwards, 
in  the   seventh   year  of  Queen   Elizabeth,  to  Arthur  Basset. 

Mr.  Nicholas  Dymery  was  lord  of  it  in  the  year  1608. 

The  manor  afterwards  came  to  the  Crewes,  who  were  a  branch  of  the  Crewes  of 
Cheshire.  The  heiress  of  the  Crewes  was  married  to  Sir  Richard  Holford,  Master  in 
Chancery,  who  was  also  a  branch  of  the  Cheshire  family  of  that  name,  and  it  thence 
came  into  possession  of  his  descendant  and  representative,  Robert  Stayner  Holford, 
Esq.,  by  whom  the  present  mansion  was  erected,  from  the  designs,  and  under  the 
supervision  of  the  late  Lewis  Yulliany,  Esq.,  Architect,  on  the  site  of  a  smaller  house 
built  by  his  predecessor,  in  lieu  of  the  old  Manor  House,  which  dated  from  about 
the  time  of  James   the  First. 


The  lineage  of   the  present   family  deduces  from 

Sir  Richard  Holford,  Knight,  Master  in  Chancery,  who  married,  first,  the  heiress 
of  the  family  of  Crewe,  of  Westonbirt,  and  with  her  acquired  the  estate;  and 
secondly,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Vice  Admiral  Sir  Richard  Stayner.  By  his  second 
wife  he  had 

Robert  Holford,  Esq.,  of  Westonbirt,  also  a  Master  in  Chancery,  who  married 
Sarah,  daughter  of  Sir  Peter  Vandeput,  of  the  family  of  the  extinct  Baronets  of 
that    name,  and  had  a  son  and   heir, 

Peter  Holford,  Esq.,  of  Westonbirt.  He  too  was  a  master  in  Chancery  and 
was   father  of,  with    other  children, 

George  Peter  Holford,  Esq.,  of  Westonbirt,  who  left  at  his  decease,  April  29th., 
1839,  a  son  and  successor, 

hi.  •  I 


54  WESTONBIRT     HOUSE. 

Robert  Statner  Holford,  '  Esq.,  of  Westonbirt,  J.P.,  D.L.,  High  Sheriff  of 
Gloucestershire,  1843,  and  M.P  for  East  Gloucestershire  from  1854  to  1872,  born 
March  16th.,  1808.  He  married,  August  5th.,  1854,  Mary  Anne,  daughter  of  General 
James   Lindsay,    of  Balcarres,   in  the  county  of  Fife,   and  is  father   of 

George  Lindsay  Holford,  Esq.,  born  June  2nd.,  1860. 


O 


WOLSELEY    HALL, 

NEAR    EUGELEY,    STAFFORDSHIRE. WOLSELEY,    BARONET. 


WoLSELEY  Hall  is  situated  in  a  valley  close  to  tlie  high  road,  formerly  the  old 
coach  road  between  London  and  Liverpool,  the  inn  at  Wolseley  Bridge  being  one 
of  the  principal  halting  places  for  change  of  horses.  It  is  about  two  miles  from 
Eugeley,  and  seven  from  Stafford.  The  house  was  considerably  rebuilt  by  Sir 
Charles,  the  seventh   Baronet. 

The  most  prominent  feature  of  the  interior  is  a  beautiful  specimen  of  oak  carving, 
consisting  of  a  magnificent  staircase,  together  with  the  wainscotted  drawing-room,  the 
workmanship  of  an  eminent  artist  of  the  name  of  Pierce,  supposed  to  be  a  pupil  of 
Grinley  Gibbons,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second. 

The  Eiver  Trent,  running  in  the  north-west  part  of  the  county,  takes  here  a 
winding  course,  and  passes  through  Wolseley  Bridge,  near  one  of  the  entrance  lodges 
at  the  foot  of  the  hanging  woods  in  the  park. 

Among  the  pictures  are  the  following: — An  interior  of  an  Inn,  by  Teniers;  St. 
Agnes,  by  Carlo  Dolce;  St.  John,  by  Murillo;  two  heads  by  Albert  Durer;  several 
landscapes  by  Ostard;  a  cattle  piece  by  Berghem;  and  several  family  portraits,  the 
best  being  that  of  Lady  Wolseley,  {nee  Chambers,)  wife  of  the  Sixth  Baronet,  by 
Cotes. 

The  family  of  Wolseley  have  resided  here,  and  under  the  same  name,  for  more 
than  seven  centuries. 

From  Edric,  who  lived  at  Wolseley  in  the  time  of  William  Rufus,  descended 
Richard  de  Wolseley,  who,  in  the  twenty-fifth  year  of  Edward  the  First,  married 
Sybilla,  daughter  of  Roger  de  Aston,  with  whom  he  had  lands  in  Bishton,  an  adjoining 
lordship,  which  remain  with  the  family  to  this  day. 

In  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Fourth,  Ralph  Wolseley  was  one  of  the  Barons  of 
the  Exchequer,  and  had  permission,  under  the  Great  Seal,  to  enclose  a  park,  and 
to  stock  it  by  means  of  deer  leaps,  with  deer  from  out  of  Cannock  Chase,  which  it 
adjoins.  The  leaps  exist  to  the  present  day,  and  the  park  still  contains  a  herd  of 
deer.  The  deed  is  still  in  preservation  amongst  several  other  even  older  ones  in  the 
muniment  chest  of  the  family. 

From  him  descended  Robert  Wolseley,  who  was  created  a  Baronet  by  King 
Charles  the  First.  His  son.  Sir  Charles  Wolseley,  represented  the  counties  of 
Stafford  and   Oxford  in  Parliament  during  the  Protectorate,  and  was  afterwards  called 


56  WOLSELEY    HALL. 

up  to  Oliver   Cromwell's   Upper  House.     He  was  in   great  favour  with  the  Protector, 
and  was  one  of  his  "Seven  Chums." 

There   are    several   monuments    and    inscriptions  in    the  ancient   church   at    Colwich 
of  the  Wolseley  family. 


The  above-named 

Ealph  Wolseley,  one  of  the  Barons  of  the  Exchequer  in  the  reign  of  Edward  the 
First,  left  a  son, 

John  db  Wolseley,  father  of 

Ralph  Wolseley,  whose  son  and  successor, 

John  Wolseley,  Esq.,  living  in  1614,  had,  with  other  issue,  a  son. 

Sir  Robert  Wolseley,  created  a  Baronet  November  28th.,  1628.  The  eighth  in- 
heritor of  the    title    after   him,  in  direct  descent,  was 

Sir  Charles  Wolseley,  Baronet,  born  in  1813,  who  married,  in  1834,  Mary  Anne, 
eldest  daughter  of  Nicholas  Selby,  Esq.,  of  Acton  House,  Middlesex,  and  was  father 
of 

Sir  Charles  Michael  Wolseley,  ninth  Baronet,  born  in  1846. 


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DAETREY, 

COUNTY  OF  MONAQHAN,  IRELAND. EARL  OF  DARTREY. 


Dartrey,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Dartrey,  is  situated  in  the  County  of  Monaghan. 

The  present  house  was  rebuilt  on  the  site  of  the  old  mansion  in  the  year  1846, 
and  commands  an  extensive  view  over  a  large  sheet  of  water^  forming  one  of  a 
wide-spreading  chain  of  lakes. 

The  sloping  lawn  between  the  house  and  lake  is  beautifully  laid  out  in  terraced 
gardens,  the  brilliancy  of  which,  contrasting  with  the  sombre  tints  of  the  fine  trees 
on   either  side,  gives   a  peculiar  richness   to   the  view. 

An  important  feature  in  the  grounds  is  formed  by  a  wooded  island,  nearly  two 
miles  in  circumference,  in  the  centre  of  which,  approached  by  a  magnificent  avenue 
of  beech  trees,  stands  a  building  containing  a  fine  marble  monument,  executed  by 
Wilton  in  1770,  in  memory  of  Lady  Anne  Dawson. 

The  approaches  to  the  house,  running  along  the  shores  of  the  lakes,  form  a  very 
beautiful  drive  several  miles  in  extent. 


The  family  of  Lord  Dartrey  came  originally  from  Yorkshire,  removing  to  Ireland 
in   the   reign   of    Queen  Elizabeth. 

Thomas  Dawson,  of  Armagh,  was  father  of 

John  Dawson,  Esq.,  whose  son, 

Walter  Dawson,  Esq.,  died  in  1704,  leaving  two  sons,  the  elder  of  whom, 

Walter  Dawson,  Esq.,  married  Frances,  daughter  of  Eichard  Dawson,  Esq.,  an 
officer  in  CromwelFs  army,  with  whom  he  obtained  the  estate  of  Dawson's  Grove,  in 
the  County  of  Monaghan.  He  was  succeeded  at  his  decease  by  his  only  surviving 
son, 

Richard  Dawson,  Esq.,  of  Dawson's  Grove,  an  eminent  Banker  and  Alderman  of 
the  City  of  Dublin,  and  M.P.  for  the  County  of  Monaghan.  This  gentleman  married, 
in  1723,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  the  Most  Rev.  John  Vesey,  D.D.,  Archbishop  of 
Tuam,  by  whom  he  left,  dying  in  1766, 

Thomas  Dawson,  Esq.,  who  was  elevated  to  the  peerage  of  Ireland  May  28th., 
1770,  as  Baron  Dartrey,  and  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  Viscount  Cremorne,  June 
9th.,  1785.  He  married,  first,  the  Lady  Anne  Fermor,  daughter  of  Thomas,  Earl 
of  Pomfret,    by   whom,    who    died    in   1769,    he    had    a    son    and   daughter,    both    of 


68  DARTREY. 

wliom  died  in  youtli.  His  lordship  marriedj  secondly.  May  Stla..,  1770,  Philadelpliia 
Hannah,  only  daughter  of  Thomas  Freame,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  by  whom  he  had 
another  only  son  and  daughter,  who  also  died  young.  He  was  further  created, 
March  7th.,  1797,  Baron  Cremorne  with  remainder  to  his  nephew,  Richard  Dawson, 
Esq.,  and  his  heirs  male.  At  his  death,  March  1st.,  1813,  the  Viscountcy  of 
Cremorne   expired,  but  the  Barony  of  the  same  devolved  on  his  great-nephew, 

Richard  Thomas  Dawson,  second  Baron  Cremorne,  born  1788,  who  married,  March 
10th.,  1815,  Anne  Elizabeth  Emily,  third  daughter  of  John  Whaley,  Esq.,  of  Whaley 
Abbey,  in  the  county  of  Wicklow,  and  left  at  his  decease,  in  1827, 

Richard  Dawson,  third  Baron  Cremorne,  of  Dartrey,  K.P,,  formerly  a  Lord  in 
Waiting  on  the  Queen,  Lord  Lieutenant  and  Custos  Rotulorum  of  the  County  of 
Monaghan,  born  September  7th.,  1817,  created  Baron  Dartrey,  September  20th., 
1847,  and  Earl  or  Daeteey,  July  12th.,  1866.  He  married,  July  12th.,  1841, 
Augusta,  daughter  of  Edward  Stanley,  Esq.  and  Lady  Mary  Stanley,  daughter  of  the 
Earl  of  Lauderdale,  and  had  with  other  children, 

Vesey  Dawson,  Lord  Cremorne,  Lieutenant-Colonel  in  the  Coldstream  Guards  and 
M.P.  for  the  County  of  Monaghan,  born  April  22nd.,  1842. 


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MEREYALE    HALL, 

NEAR    ATHBRSTONE,     WARWICKSHIRE. DUGDALE. 


Merevale  Hall,  near  Atherstone,  stands  on  the  borders  of  Warwicksliire  and 
Leicestershire^  about  a  mile  distant  from  the  town.  It  is  finely  situated  on  the  edge 
of  a  wooded   eminence. 

The  entrance  is  to  the  west,  and  on  the  south  and  east  is  a  beautiful  suite  of 
spacious  apartments  with  high  Elizabethan  and  bay  windows,  opening  on  a  terraced 
garden  in  the  Italian  style,  facing  the  park.  At  the  north-east  corner  of  the  mansion 
is  a  lofty  tower,  which  is  seen  to  great  advantage  from  all  the  surrounding  neigh- 
bourhood. The  views  from  it  are  extremely  fine,  and  embrace  a  vast  extent  of  country. 
In  clear  weather  places  and  objects  can  be  seen  forty  miles  ofi". 

The  park,  beautifully  undulated  with  hill  and  dale,  is  adorned  with  some  of  the 
finest  oaks  in  the  kingdom,  many  of  which  reach  to  the  height  of  one  hundred 
feet  and  upwards,  and  are  evidently  relics  of  the  ancient  Forest  of  Arden,  which 
extended  all  over  North  Warwickshire.  It  is  also  well  stocked  with  deer,  and  has 
a  noble  lake. 

The  present  house  was  built  in  the  year  1840,  by  the  celebrated  architect  Blore,  on 
the  site  of  a  former  mansion  of  brick.  The  style  is  florid  Elizabethan,  and  the  south- 
east front  is  justly  considered  one  of  the  architect's  masterpieces.  The  interior  is 
very  handsomely  decorated,  and  the  rooms  lofty  and  well  arranged.  There  is  a  small 
but  well-selected  collection  of  pictures  by  the  old  masters,  among  which  is  one  of 
the  finest  Cuyps  in  England.  There  is  also  a  large  library,  comprising  many  valuable 
works,  and  among  them  the  entire  library  of  the  antiquary  Sir  William  Dagdale, 
from  whom  the  owners  of  the  property  have  descended  through  an  heiress. 

To  the  north  of  the  house,  at  about  the  distance  of  half  a  mile,  in  the  grounds, 
stands  the  parish  church,  which  is  very  ancient  and  curious.  It  was  formerly  the 
pilgrim's  chapel,  belonging  to  the  monastery.  It  contains  some  fine  old  stained-glass 
windows,  among  other  good  specimens  being  a  very  fine  14th.  century  east  window, 
which  has  been  lately  restored.  There  are  also  here  some  monumental  figures  of  the 
Ferrers  family,  the  founders  of  the  abbey. 

The  only  remains  of  the  monastic  buildings  are  the  walls  of  the  refectory  and  a 
part  of  the  south  wall  of  the  conventual  church,  the  foundations  of  which  have  been 
lately  excavated.  The  church  was  found  to  have  been  two  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
in  length. 


60  MEREYALE    HALL. 

At  the  Dissolution  of  tlie  Monasteries  tlie  abbey  passed  into  tlie  family  of  Devereux. 
It-  next  went  into  tbat  of  Stratford,  with  which  it  continued  until  it  was  conveyed  in 
marriage  by  an  heiress  to  the  Dugdales  of  Blythe  Hall. 

A  monastery  of  the  Cistercian  Order  was  founded  at  Merevale  by  Robert,  Earl 
Ferrers,  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  King  Stephen.  This  monastery  was 
largely  endowed  by  the  founder,  and  was  favoured  by  many  benefactions  in  after 
periods.  At  the  Dissolution  the  revenues  were  stated  at  £254  Is.  8d.  per  annum. 
The  abbot  and  monks  received  pensions  during  life.  Considerable  fragments  of  the 
building  still  linger,  as  above  stated,  in  a  progressive  and  picturesque  state  of  decay. 


This  ancient  family  is  now  represented  as  follows: — 

Sir  William  Dugdale,  Knight,  the  celebrated  antiquary  and  genealogist,  author  of 
the  well-known  Dugdale's  "Monasticon,"  was  father  of 

Sir  John  Dugdale,  whose  son, 

William  Dugdale,  Esq.,  of  Blythe  Hall,  left  a  daughter  and  co-heiress,  Jane 
Dugdale,  married   to 

Richard  Geast,  Esq.,  of  Handsworth,  and  their  elder  son  and  heir, 

Richard  Geast,  Esq.,  Barrister-at-law,  by  his  marriage,  in  1767,  with  Penelope 
Bate,  eldest  daughter  and  co-heiress  of  Francis  Stratford,  Esq.,  of  Merevale,,  ( — he 
assumed,  in  1799,  the  additional  surname  and  arms  of  Dugdale — )  had,  with  three 
daughters,  a  son, 

Dugdale  Stratford  Dugdale,  Esq.,  of  Merevale,  born  in  1773,  M.P.  for  War- 
wickshire from  1802  to  1830,  who  married  the  Hod  curable  Charlotte  Curzon,  daughter 
of  Assheton  Curzon,  first  Viscount  Curzon,  and  had  by  her  an  only  son, 

William  Stratford  Dugdale,  Esq.,  of  Merevale  and  Blythe  Hall,  J.P.  and  D.L., 
and  some  time  M.P.  for  North  Warwickshire,  who  married  Harriet  Ella,  daughter  of 
Edward  Berkeley  Portman,  Esq.,  of  Bryanston,  in  the  county  of  Dorset,  and  sister 
of  Lord  Portman,  and  had  several  children,  the  eldest  son  being 

William  Stratford  Dugdale,  Esq.,  who  married  Alice,  daughter  of  Sir  Charles 
Trevelyan,  Baronet,  and  has  a  son. 


The  paternal  descent  of  the  present  family  is  from 

John  Geste,  of  Handsworth,  a  holder  of  copyhold  lands  there,  12th.  Henry  VII, 
grandfather  of 

Edmund  Geast,  Bishop  of  Salisbury,  who  was  followed  by 

Richard  Geast,  Esq.,  father  of 

Nicholas  Geast,  Esq.,  of  Handsworth,  who  by  his  wife  Phoebe,  daughter  of  — 
Downing,  was  father  of  the  above-named 

Richard  Geast,  Esq.,  of  Handsworth,  progenitor,  as  above  shown,  of  the  existing 
owner  of  Merevale. 


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BESTWOOD    LODGE, 

NEAR    NOTTINGHAM,    NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. DUKE    OP    ST.  ALBANS. 


From  authentic  information  there  seems  no  doubt  that  Bestwood  was  once  a  royal 
residence,  and  much  frequented  for  hunting  purposes  by  royalty,  for  King  Edward 
the  Third,  by  his  letters  patent,  dated  at  his  Park  of  Beskwood,  1st.  September, 
37th.  Ed.  III.,  (1364,)  pardoned  and  released  certain  rents  issuing  out  of  "Lindley 
Hay  and  Bullwell  Rise,  to  the  Priory  of  Newstede."  And  in  the  inquisition  taken 
at  St.  John's  House,  Nottingham,  the  fourth  of  the  nones  of  July,  in  35th.  Henry 
III.,  (1251,)  before  Geoffrey  Langley,  Justice  of  the  Forest,  it  is  called  a  "Hay  or 
Park  of  our  Lord  the  King,  wherein  no  man  commons."  And  earlier  still.  King 
Henry  the  First  granted  to  the  Priory  of  Lenton  to  have  "^two  carts  to  fetch  deal 
wood  and  heath  out  of  Besewood."  King  Henry  the  Second  also,  about  the  year 
1160,  granted  the  Convent  to  have  eveiy  day  "two  carrs  or  three  carretts  to  bring 
them  dead  wood  or  heath,  as  much  as  they  should  need  for  their  own  use.^^ 

In  1329  the  wood  of  Beskwood  was  granted  by  Edward  the  Third  to  Richard  de 
Shelley  for  his  life.  The  same  monarch,  on  the  22nd.  of  February,  1335,  also 
granted  to  Richard  de  Shelley  the  dry  zuches,  which  in  English  were  then  called 
stovenes  or  stubbes,  within  his  Hay  of  Bestwood. 

Thoroton,  who  wrote  in  the  year  1677,  says,  "Bestwood  hath  a  very  fair  Lodge 
in  it,  and  in  respect  to  the  pleasant  situation  of  the  place,  and  conveniency  of 
hunting  and  pleasure,  the  Park  and  Lodge  have  for  these  many  years  been  the 
desire  and  achievement  of  great  men.  Three  Earls  of  Rutland  had  it,  Roger, 
Francis,  and  George.  Before  that,  Thomas  Markham,  a  great  courtier  and  servant 
to  Queen  Elizabeth,  had  it;  and  before  him,  little  Sir  John  Byron,  a  great  favourite 
of  King  Henry  the  Eighth's.  It  is  now  on  lease  to  William,  Lord  Willoughby  of 
Parham.  Before  the  troubles  it  was  well  stored  with  red  deer,  but  now  it  is 
parcelled  into  little  closes  on  one  side,  and  much  of  it  hath  been  plowed,  so  that 
there  is  scarce  either  wood  or  venison,  which  is  also  likely  to  be  the  fate  of  the 
whole  Forest  of  Shirewood.'" 

Charles  the  Second,  by  Royal  Letters  Patent,  about  1683,  granted  the  Park  of 
Bestwood  to  Henry  Beauclerc,  or  Beauclerk,  created  Duke  of  St.  Albans,  Registrar 
of  the  High  Court  of  Chancery,  and  Master  Falconer  of  England,  with  remainder 
to  his  heirs  male. 

III.  K 


62  BESTWOOD    LODGE. 

The  ancestor  of  the  family  of  the  Duke  of  St.  Albans  was 

Charles  Beauclerk,  son  of  His  Majesty  King  Charles  the  Second  by  Eleanor 
Gwynn,  born  May  8th.,  1670,  who  married  Diana,  heiress  of  Aubrey  de  Vere,  last 
Earl  of  Oxford,  and  was  created  Baron  of  Hedington  and  Earl  op  Burpord,  December 
27th.,  1676,  and  further  elevated  in  the  peerage,  January  10th.,  1683-4,  as  Duke  op 
St.  Albans.     His  son, 

Charles  Beauclerk,  second  Duke,  K.G.  and  K.B.,  married,  December  13th.,  1722, 
Lucy,  daughter  and  co-heiress  of  Sir  John  Werden,  Baronet.  His  Grace  was  followed, 
at  his  decease,  July  27th.,  1751,  by 

George  Beauclerk,  [third  Dake,  who  married  Jane,  daughter  and  co-heiress  of  Sir 
Walter  Roberts,  Baronet,  of  Glassenbury,  Kent,  but  died  without  issue  February  1st., 

1786,  when  the  honours  reverted  to  his  kinsman,  the  grandson  of  the  first  Duke, 
George  Beauclerk,  Esq.,  who    succeeded  as  fourth  Duke,  but  dying  unmai'ried    in 

1787,  the   title  next  went   to  his  cousin,   grandson,  through  another   son,    of  the   first 
Duke,  namely, 

Aubrey,  second  Baron  Vere  of  Hanworth,  who  succeeded  as  fifth  Duke.  He 
married,  in  1763,  Lady  Catherine  Ponsonby,  daughter  of  William  Earl  of  Bessborough, 
by  whom  he  had  a  successor, 

Aubrey  Beauclerk,  sixth  Duke,  born  August  21st.,  1765.  His  Grace  married,  first, 
Miss  Moses,  by  whom  he  had  a  daughter,  Mary,  married  to  George  William,  eighth 
Earl  of  Coventry,  and  secondly,  Louisa,  Countess  of  Dysart,  by  whom  he  left  an 
only    son,   his  successor,  in   1815, 

Aubrey  Beauclerk,  seventh  Duke,  who  died  February  19th.,  1816,  the  same  day 
as  his    mother,  when   the  honours  reverted  to  his  uncle, 

William  Beauclerk,  eighth  Duke,  married,  first,  in  1791,  Charlotte,  daughter  of  the 
Rev.  Robert  Carter  Thelwall,  and  heiress  of  Redbourne  Hall,  which  lady  died  without 
issue  in  1797,  and  secondly,  in  1799,  Mary  Janetta,  only  daughter  and  heiress  of 
John  Nelthorpe,  Esq.,  of  Little  Grimsby  Hall,  Lincolnshire,  and  by  her  left  a  large 
family,  of   whom    the  eldest   son, 

WiLLLiAM  Aubrey  db  Vere  Beauclerk,  ninth  Duke,  born  March  1st.,  1801,  married, 
first,  Harriet,  daughter  of  Matthew  Mellon,  Esq.,  and  widow  of  Thomas  Coutts,  Esq. 
She  died  without  children,  August  6th.,  1837.  The  Duke  married,  secondly.  May 
29th.,  1839,  Elizabeth  Catherine,  youngest  daughter  of  General  Joseph  Gubbins,  of 
Kilrush,  in  the   county    of  Limerick,  and  had 

William  Amelius  Aubrey  de  Vere  Beauclerk,  tenth  Duke,  who  married,  June 
20th.,  1867,  Sybil  Mary,  eldest  daughter  of  Lieutenant-General  the  Honourable 
Charles  Grey,  and  secondly,  January  3rd.,  1874,  Grace,  daughter  of  Bernal  Osborne, 
Esq.,  of  Newtown  Annes.     His  heir  is 

Charles  Victor  Albert  Aubrey  de  Vere  Beauclerk,  born  March  26th,,  1870. 


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ROSSMORE    PARK, 

NEAR    MONAGHAN,    COUNTY    OF    MONAGHAN,    IRELAND. — LOED    ROSSMORE. 


This  picturesque  building  stands  on  an  eminence  in  the  middle  of  a  park  of 
considerable  extent,  abounding  in  natural  beauties  and  extensive  views. 

The  inside  of  the  structure  is  in  keeping  with  its  outside  appearance.  The  prin- 
cipal reception  rooms  and  hall  contain  many  pictures  of  interest  and  value. 

The  castle,  which  was  greatly  enlarged  and  beautified  by  the  present  peer's  father, 
came  into  the  possession  of  the  Westenras  by  the  marriage  of  one  of  their 
ancestors,  Henry  Westenra,  Esq.,  M.P.,  Seneschal  of  the  King^s  Manors  in  Ireland, 
with  Miss  Harriet  Murray,  daughter  of  Colonel  J.  Murray  and  Mary  Lady  Blayney, 
only  child  and  heiress  of   Sir  Alexander  Cairns. 


The  genealogy  of  this  family,  originally  from  Holland,  is  as  follows: — 

Jacob  Aaron  Van  Wassenaer,  a  noble,  married  Lady  Amelia  Bentinck.  Of  the 
same  family  was 

Warner  Westenra,  who  settled  in  Ireland  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second, 
and  was  made  a  free  denizen  of  that  kingdom  by  Act  of  Parliament  in  1662.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Wybrantz,  and  had  a  successor, 

Henry  Westenra,  Esq.,  who  married  in  1700,  Eleanor,  second  daughter  of  Sir 
Joshua  Allen,  Knight,  and  sister  of  John  Allen,  first  Viscount  Allen,  by  whom  he 
had,  with  other  children,  an  eldest  son, 

Warner  Westenra,  Esq.,  M.P.  for  Maryborough  in  1728.  He  married,  in  1738, 
Lady  Hester  Lambert,  second  daughter  of  Richard  Lambert,  fourth  Earl  of  Cavan, 
and  had  with  other  issue, 

Henry  Westenra,  Esq.,  married  to  Harriet,  one  of  the  sisters  of  Elizabeth  Murray, 
daughter  of  John  Murray,  Esq.,  (co-heiress  of  her  mother,  Mary,  Dowager  Lady 
Blayney,  sole  heiress  of  Sir  Alexander  Cairns,  Baronet,)  who  had  married  General 
Robert  Cunningham,  raised  to  the  peerage  of  Ireland,  October  19th.,  1796,  as  Baron 
RossMORB,  of  Rossmore  Park,  the  patent  of  creation  containing  a  reversionary  clause, 
conferring  the  Barony,  at  his  Lordship^s  decease,  on  the  heirs  male,  at  the  time 
being,  of  two  of  her  Ladyship's  sisters  successively,  and  the  only  son  of  the  elder 
of  the   other   sisters,   Mrs.    Jones,    wife   of  the   Right   Honourable   Theophilus    Jones, 


64  ROSSMORE    PARK. 

having  predeceased  him,  the  Barony  devolved  on  the  eldest  son  of  the  younger 
sister, 

Warner  William  Westbnra,  born  October  14th,,  1765,  who  was  created  a  Baron 
of  the  United  Kingdom  as  Baron  Rossmore,  June  23rd.,  1828.  His  Lordship  had 
married,  first,  October  3rd.,  1791,  Mary  Anne,  second  daughter  of  Charles  Walsh, 
Esq.,  of  Walsh  Park,  in  the  county  of  Tipperary,  and  by  her  had,  with  other 
children, 

Henry  Robert  Westenra,  born  August  24th.,  1792,  who  succeeded  as  third  Baron. 
He  married,  first.  Lady  Anne  Douglas,  daughter  of  Douglas  eighth  Duke  of  Hamilton, 
who  died  issueless  August  20th.,  1844,  and  secondly.  May  19th.,  1846,  his  cousin, 
Josephine  Julia  Helen  Lloyd,  second  daughter  of  Henry  Lloyd,  Esq.,  of  Farrinrory, 
in  the  county  of  Tipperary,  and  had 

Henry  Cairns  Westenra,  an  officer  in  the  1st.  Life  Guards,  born  November  14th., 
1851,  who  succeeded  to  the  title  as  fourth  Baron  Rossmore.  He  died  28th.  March, 
1874,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  next  brother,  the  present  Peer, 

Derrick  Warner  William  Westenra,  Sub-Lieutenant  1st.  Life  Guards,  born  7th. 
February,  1853. 


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PHILIPHAUGH, 

NEAR    SELKIRK,    SELKIRKSHIRE. MURRAY,    BARONET. 


History  notes  Philiphaugli  as  a  place  of  considerable  mark  in  the  south  of  Scotland. 
On  its  plains  the  celebrated  battle  between  Generals  Montrose  and  Leslie  was  fought 
in  1645,  which  decided  the  religion  of  Scotland,  the  Covenanting  Presbyterians 
gaining  the  victory. 

The  estate  has  been  in  the  possession  of  the  Murray  family  for  centuries.  The 
first  of  the  family  upon  record  was  Archibald  de  Morovia,  who  lived  in  the  reign  of 
King  Alexander  III.,  and  is  mentioned  in  the  Chartulary  of  Newbattle,  Anno  1280. 
For  centuries  they  possessed  the  greatest  portion  of  the  county  of  Selkirk,  and  a 
large  extent  of  Peebleshire,  besides  lands  in  Midlothian. 

Among  the  ancestors  of  the  present  proprietor,  who  is  a  descendant  in  the  direct 
male  line  from  Archibald  de  Morovia,  were  many  distinguished  men  both  in  the 
Scottish  and  English  Parliaments.  Among  the  most  celebrated  was  the  Outlaw 
Murray.  He  is  mentioned  as  being  of  a  prodigious  size  and  strength,  and  among 
the  most  daring  and  foremost  of  the  Border  Chieftains,  with  five  hundred   retainers — 

"A'  in  ae  liverye  clad, 
O'  the  Lincome  grene  sae  gaye  to  see." 

On  one  occasion  King  James  IV.  had  an  interview  with  him  not  far  from  Philip- 
haugh,  desiring  him  to  become  a  faithful  subject,  and  acknowledge  him  as  king. 
At  the  interview  (see  Scott^s  "Border  Minstrelsy,^' — Song  of  the  Outlaw  Murray,) 
the  King  said 

"On  gallows  ye  sail  hanget  be!" 
"  Over  God's  forbode,"  qnotb  the  outlaw  then, 
"  I  hope  your  Grace  will  bettir  be ! 
Else,  ere  you  come  to  Edinburgh  port, 
I  trow  thin  guarded  sail  ye  be: 

"Thir  landis  of  Ettricke  Foreste  fair 
I  wan  them  from  the  enemy — 
Like  as  I  wan  them,  sae  will  I  keep  them, 
Oontrair  a'  Kingis  in  Christentie." 


66  PHILIPHAUGH. 

The  King  and  his  nobles  attending  him  were  so  struck  with  the  courage  and  noble 
bearing  of  the  Outlaw,  that  he  obtained  forgiveness,  and  then  said,  on  being  asked 
by  the  King  to  name  his  lands — 

"Fair  Philiphaugh  is  mine  by  right, 
And  Lewinshope  still  mine  sail  be; 
Newark,  Foulshiells,  and  Tinnies  baith, 
My  bow  and  arrow  purchased  me. 

"And  I  have  native  steads  to  me, 

The  Newark  Lee  and  Hangingshaw; 
I  have  mony  steads  in  the  Forest  schaw, 
But  them  by  name  I  dinna  knaw." 

The  keys  of  the  Castell  he  gave  the  King 

Wi'  the  blessing  of  his  fair  Ladye; 
He  was  made  sheriffe  of  Bttiicke  Foreste, 

Sarely  while  upward  grows  the  tree ; 
And  if  he  was  na  traitour  to  the  King, 

Forfaulted  he  suld  never  be. 

"Whaever  heard,  in  ony  times, 

Sicken  an  Outlaw  in  his  degree? 
Sic  favour  get  before  a  King, 

As  did  the  Outlaw  Murray  of  the  Foreste  free  ?" 

The  present  owner  of  the  estate  succeeded  to  the  Baronetcy  of  Melgund,  which 
title  had  been  granted,  and  held  by  a  junior  member  of  the  family  since  1704. 
It  was  assumed  shortly  after  the  death  of  Sir  Albert  Joseph  Murray,  a  Count  of  the 
Austrian  Empire,  by  an  order  of  the  Sheriff  in  Chancery. 

Sir  John  Murray  is  the  chief  of  the  families  of  his  name  in  the  southern  portion 
of  Scotland. 

I  quote  the  following  from  one  of  the  printed  accounts  of  the  residence: — 

'^The  situation  of  the  Mansion  House  is  very  beautiful  and  romantic, — backed  by 
lofty  hills,  covered  with  the  largest  portion  now  extant  of  the  well-wooded  forest  of 
Ettrick,  with  the  lovely  and  classic  river  Yarrow  in  the  foreground.  The  beauty  and 
elegance  of  the  hall  and  public  rooms,  with  the  suits  and  trophies  of  ancient  armour; 
the  numerous  family  portraits  and  fine  paintings  by  old  and  modern  artists;  the 
collection  of  antique  furniture,  bronzes,  and  magnificent  china  of  all  periods,  along 
with  numerous  relics  from  the  battlefield,  consisting  of  muskets,  swords,  cannon  balls, 
and  silver  coins,  make  it  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  attractive  residences  in  the 
Scottish  borders.^' 

Through  the  liberality  of  the  proprietor,  both  the  Mansion  House  and  grounds  are 
thrown  open  to  visitors  and  tourists. 


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WYNNSTAY, 

NEAR   RHUABON,    DENBIGHSHIRE. WILLIAMS-WYNN,    BARONET. 


This  place,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  formed  part  of  the  estates  of  John  ap  Ellis 
Eyton,  who  fought  at  the  battle  of  Bosworth,  and  whose  tomb,  upon  which  are 
effigies  of  himself  and  of  his  wife,  remains  in  one  of  the  Wynnstay  Chapels  in 
Rhuabon   Church. 

From  the  Eytons  the  estate  passed  by  marriage  to  a  family  of  the  name  of 
Evans,  and  from  them,  by  the  mamage  of  Jane,  daughter  and  heiress  of  Eyton 
Evans,  Esq.,  with  Sir  John  Wynn,  Baronet,  Custos  Rotulorum  and  M.P.  for  Merio- 
nethshire, to  the  Wynns.  Sir  John  died  without  issue  in  1719,  aged  ninety-one, 
and  left  his  large  possessions  to  his  kinsman,  Watkin,  eldest  son  of  Sir  William 
Williams,  Baronet,  who  thereupon  assumed  the  additional  surname  of  Wynn.  Sir 
William  was  the  eldest  son  and  successor  of  the  Right  Honourable  Sir  William 
Williams,  Baronet,  who  was  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons  in  the  reign  of 
King  Charles  the  Second,  and  who  died  in  the  year  1700. 

The  spacious  park  at  Wynnstay,  containing  about  five  hundred  head  of  deer,  red 
and  fallow,  was  enclosed,  and  the  wall  built,  in  the  time  of  Sir  John  Wynn,  who 
also  planted  the  now  venerable  avenue. 

The  house,  prior  to  the  lamentable  fire  in  1858,  was  an  extensive  but  irregular 
pile,  containing  some  fine  apartments,  and  at  the  time  of  the  fire  was  undergoing 
extensive  alterations.  The  whole  was  destroyed,  with  the  exception  of  the  offices. 
Many  pictures  of  great  value,  and  a  rare  and  valuable  collection  of  books  and 
manuscripts  perished  in  the  flames.  Fortunately  the  pictures  by  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds 
were  saved  through  the  exertions  of  the  French  cook,  who  cut  them  from  their 
frames  before  the  flames  reached  them. 

The  new  mansion  which  has  arisen  upon  the  ruins  is  a  spacious  edifice,  in  the 
style  of  one  of  the  old  French  palaces,  from  the  design  of  B.  Ferrey,  Esq.,  and 
contains  a  valuable  collection  of  pictures  by  the  great  masters. 

Wynnstay  park  is  stated  to  embrace  a  circuit  of  eight  miles.  Within  the  park,  at 
a  mansion  called  Bodylltyn,  lived  in  the  sixteenth  century,  Edward  ap  Roger  Eyton, 
of  high  authority  as  a  Welsh  herald  and  genealogist.  A  large  folio  volume,  entirely 
in  his  autograph,  is  extant.     He  died  in  1587. 

The   inscription   upon    the    handsome    column   in   the   park    to   the   memory   of    Sir 


68  WYNNSTAY. 

Watkin  "Williams  Wynn,  who  died   in   1789,   was   written   by   his   brother-in-law,    the 
talented   Lord  Grenville,   "  Filio  ojotimo,  mater   eheu!   superstes. 


» 


To  say  that  this  family  is  of  "Welsh  origin,  and  that  both  paternally  and  maternally, 
is  sufficient  to  shew  its  antiquity.  To  be  of  the  Ancient  British  race  is  to  date  back 
to  a  period  long  antecedent  to  the  arrival  of  Saxons  or  Normans  in  the  country.  In 
the  male  line  the  descent  is  from 

Cadrodd  Hardd  (Cadrodd  the  Handsome),  twenty-second  ancestor  of  the  owner  of 
Wynnstay,  and,  in  the  female  line,  from 

Rhodki  Mawr,  King  of  Wales,  himself  the  representative  of  a  long  line  of  regal 
forefathers,  who  was  slain  A.D.  876.     The  twenty-fifth  successor  to  whom  was 

"William  Wtnn,  Esq.,  whose  daughter,  Sydney  Wynn,  married  Edward  Thelwall, 
Esq.,  and  their  daughter  became  the  wife  of  Sir  William  Williams,  Bart.,  of  Llandforda, 
who,  on  succeeding  by  will  to  the  estates  of  the  House  of  Wynnstay,  assumed  the 
additional  surname  and  arms  of  Wynn. 


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MORETON    HALL, 

NEAR     CONGLETON^     CHESHIEE. — ACKERS. 


The  view  towards  tlie  soutli  from  tliis  fine  seat  is  bounded  by  that  range  of 
bills  which  extends  from  Scotland  southwards  into  the  centre  of  England^  and  which 
here  presents  one  of  its  most  remarkable  features,  in  the  high  hill  called  Mow  Cop  (a 
corruption  of  the  old  British  word  Moel,  and  the  Saxon  word  Cop),  which  is  about 
twelve  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  surmounted  by  a  ruined  tower, 
and  a  singularly  isolated  rock,  called  ''The  old  man  of  Mow,"  from  its  resemblance 
to  a  gigantic  human  figure.  To  the  summit  of  this  range  of  hills  the  handsome 
woods  of  the  Moreton  property  extend,  forming  a  splendid  and  picturesque  view  from 
the  Hall  beneath. 

The   park  is    entered   by   two  ornamental  stone  lodges. 

The  ancient  house  on  this  property,  built  in  the  year  1602,  was  a  fine  specimen  of 
the  old  black  and  white  timbered  mansions  of  Cheshire,  with  innumerable  gable  ends 
and  carved  wood  work,  but  having  fallen  into  a  state  of  total  dilapidation,  the 
building  was  taken  down  in  the  year  1844  by  the  late  owner  of  the  property,  Mr. 
Ackers,  and  in  its  stead,  on  a  different  site,  a  splendid  Hall  in  the  Gothic  style  was 
commenced  by  him  in  the  year  1841,  under  the  celebrated  architect  Mr.  Blore,  and 
finished  in   1843. 

The  house  is  built  of  stone  from  the  Moreton  quarries  on  Mow  Cop,  and  presents 
a  very  handsome  appearance,  having  a  square  tower  in  the  centre,  and  many  smaller 
turrets  and  towers  of  various   forms. 

The  interior  is  composed  of  a  spacious  entrance-hall  and  vestibule,  each  lined  with 
Caen  stone,  elaborately  carved;  a  splendid  dining-hall  sixty-four  feet  in  length,  with 
a  massive  wood  pitched  roof  thirty-six  feet  high,  walls  of  Caen  stone,  and  richly-carved 
chimney-piece  of  the  same  material;  a  minstrel  gallery  at  one  end,  with  fine  oak  screen 
and  a  raised  dais  at  the  upper  end  of  the  hall,  and  lofty  Gothic  windows,  ornamented 
with  stained  glass,  complete  this  fine  banqueting  hall.  From  thence,  passing  through 
an  ante-room  of  paneled  oak,  is  a  handsome  saloon,  fifty  feet  in  length,  and  a  smaller 
drawing-room  hung  with  beautiful  old  Oudenarde  tapestry  in  a  high  state  of 
preservation.  Besides  these  apartments  the  library  and  other  rooms  are  spacious  and 
well  arranged. 

III.  •  L 


70  MOEETON    HALL. 

George  Ackers,  Esq.,  of  Moreton  Hall,  born  August  19tli.,  1788,  married,  November 
8tli.,  1811,  Harriet  Dell,  second  daughter  of  Henry  Hutton,  Esq.,  of  Leicester,  and 
by  ber  left  at  his  decease,  November  22nd.,  1836,  an  only  child, 

George  Holland  Ackers,  Esq.,  of  Moreton  Hall.  He  formerly  belonged  to  the 
Royal  Horse  Guards  Blue,  was  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Queen's  Own  Staffordshire 
Yeomanry,  Commodore  of  the  Royal  Victoria  Yacht  Club,  Magistrate  and  Deputy- 
Lieutenant  for  Cheshire,  and  served  as  High  Sheriff  for  the  County  in  the  year 
1852. 


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HENGEAYE    HALL, 

NEAR    BURY    ST.    EDMUNDS,     SUFFOLK. — GAGE. 


Hengravb  Hall  is  an  admirable  example  of  the  fine  old  houses  with  which  this 
country  abounds.  The  date  of  its  erection  is  fixed  by  the  following  inscription  in 
three  compartments,  cut  in  stone  on  the  outside  of  a  curious  oriel  window  over 
the  entrance:  '^Opus  hoc  fieei  fecit  Toma  Kytson — In  Dieu  et  mon  droit — Anno 
D^Ni  Mccccc  TRiCESiMO  OCTAVO.^'  This  inscription  runs  round  a  fillet  beneath  the  bow 
window,  and  the  second  division  of  it  is  under  the  royal    arms. 

This  mansion  afi'ords  a  unique  specimen  of  ancient  domestic  architecture.  The 
whole  is  of  brick  and  stone.  "The  gateway,"  observes  Mr.  Gough,  "is  of  such 
singular  beauty,  and  in  such  high  preservation,  that  perhaps  a  more  elegant  specimen 
of  the  architecture  of  that  age  can  scarcely  be  seen.''^  It  was  once  more  extensive 
than  at  present,  several  alterations  having  been  made,  and  some  parts  at  the  north 
and  north-east  angle  taken  away,  in  1775.  The  building,  which  is  still  large,  encloses 
a  quadrangular  court,  and  the  apartments  open  into  a  gallery,  the  windows  of  which 
overlook  this  court.  They  formerly  contained  a  quantity  of  stained  glass,  and  the 
bay  window  in  the  hall  still  retains  some  fine  specimens,  consisting  of  various  armorial 
bearings.  The  window  also  is  richly  adorned  with  mullions,  fan-tracery,  pendants, 
and  spandrils,  all  of  which  nearly  resemble  the  highly  florid  examples  in  King 
Henry  the  Seventh's  Chapel.  The  turrets  at  each  side  of  the  entrance  and  at  the 
corners  of  the  building,  as  also  two  small  turreted  columns  at  the  door,  bear  a 
striking  resemblance  to  Moorish  minarets,  or  the  capitals  of  Indian  edifices. 

Some  years  since  this  mansion  was  the  abode  of  a  sisterhood  of  expatriated  nuns 
of  Bruges,  to  whom  the  owner  of  Hengrave  liberally  afibrded  an  asylum.  During- 
their  residence  here,  they  lost,  by  death,  their  superior,  a  lineal  descendant  of  the 
great  Sir  Thomas  More.  When  the  decree  in  favour  of  the  emigrants  was  issued 
in  France,  they  availed  themselves  of  the  permission  to  return  to  their  own  country. 

Very  near  the  hall  stands  a  small  church,  which  is  distinguished  by  one  of  the 
ancient  round  towers  that  seem  to  be  peculiar  to  this  part  of  the  kingdom.  No 
use  seems  to  have  been  made  of  the  edifice  for  several  years,  the  Eectory  having  been 
consolidated  with  Flempton.  Of  the  monuments  within  it,  the  principal  are  those  of 
the  Kitsons;  one  of  John  Bouchier,  Earl  of  Bath,  who  married  into  this  family;  one 
of  his  son,  John,  Lord  Fitzwarren;  one  of  Thomas,  son  of  Earl  Eivers;  and  several 
of  the  Gages. 


72  HENGRAYE    HALL. 

There  is  a  fine  marble  tomb,  in  memory  of  Sir  Thomas  Kitson,  the  founder  of 
Hengrave  Hall,  with  effigies  of  himself  and  one  of  his  wives;  but  it  is  rather  singular 
that  in  the  inscription  a  blank  is  left  for  the  parentage  of  his  first  wife.  This 
gentleman,  who  came  from  the  obscure  village  of  Yealland,  in  Lancashire,  having 
obtained  immense  wealth  by  commercial  speculation  in  the  cloth  trade,  received  the 
honour  of  knighthood.  He  purchased  the  manor  of  Hengrave  from  the  crown,  and 
possessed  several  other  estates  in  Sufiblk,  Devonshire,  Dorsetshire,  and  the  city  of 
London,  for  which  he  served  the  office  of  Sherifi".  He  was  afterwards  appointed  by 
the  Duke  of  Norfolk  Steward  of  the  Franchise  of  Bury  St.  Edmunds,  and  died 
September  13th.,   1540,  aged  fifty-five. 


This  ancient  and  distinguished  family  claims  its  origin  from 

The  Sire  de  Gaugi,  whose  name  is  on  the  Roll  of  Battle  Abbey  as  having  fought 
at  Hastings.  It  is  represented  by  the  head  of  the  House,  Lord  Gage,  one  of  whose 
ancestors. 

Sir  John  Gage,  Baronet,  of  Firle,  married  Lady  Penelope  Darcy,  daughter  and 
co-heiress  of  Lord  Rivers.  It  is  related  of  her  that  she  "was  wooed  by  three  suitors 
at  the  same  time,  and  the  knights,  as  in  chivalry  bound,  were  disposed  to  contest 
the  prize  with  target  and  lance;  but  the  lady  herself  forbad  the  battle,  and  menaced 
the  disobedient  knights  with  her  lasting  displeasure,  promising,  jocularly,  that  if 
they  had  but  patience,  she  would  have  them  all  in  their  turns;  and  she  actually 
fulfilled  her  promise,  for  she  married,  first.  Sir  George  Trenchard,  of  Wolverton, 
Dorsetshire;  secondly.  Sir  John  Gage,  of  Firle;  and  thirdly.  Sir  William  Hervey,  of 
Ickworth.^^ 

The  son  of  the  second  marriage, 

Edward  Gage,  Esq.,  was  created  a  Baronet  July  15th.,  1662,  and  was  followed  by 
a  direct  line  of  successors  in  the  title,  of  whom  the  ninth. 

Sir  Edward  Rokewode  Gage,  Baronet,  born  March  20th.,  1812,  married,  August 
2nd.,  1842,  Henrietta  Mary,  second  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Lord  Frederick  Beau  clerk, 
third  son  of  the  fifth  Duke  of  St.  Albans. 


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EASTON    HALL, 

NEAE    GRANTHAM^    LINCOLNSHIRE. CHOLMELEY,    BARONET. 


I  TAKE  the  following  account  of  this  place  from  the  '^Visitation  of  Seats  and  Arms/' 
by  Sir  Bernard  Burke: — 

"Easton  was  an  old  Hall  surrounded  by  extensive  farm  ofl&ces,  and  a  considerable 
village  inhabited  by  the  servants  of  the  family.  The  grounds  were  pleasantly  diver- 
sified, and  there  were  many  great  trees,  and  an  old-fashioned  garden,  with  a  river  and 
yew  hedges.  Considerable  alterations  were  recently  made  in  this  old  Hall  and  grounds, 
but  in  doing  their  quaintness  was  partly  lost,  which  was  their  only  claim  to  notice. 
A  successor  has  completely  changed  the  place.  Retaining  the  best  portions,  both 
of  the  original  building,  and  of  the  later  alterations,  he  has  given  something  of  a 
feudal  character  to  the  whole,  and  has  made  extensive  additions  in  excellent  taste. 
The  village  and  farm  oflSces  have  been  removed.  New  offices  have  been  built  in 
keeping  with  the  manorial  character  which  has  been  given  to  the  house.  A  stone 
court  has  been  constructed  in  front,  which  is  entered  under  a  gate  tower,  and 
through  an  arched  gateway.  The  old  garden  has  been  restored,  and  terraces  have 
been  constructed,  descending  from  the  house  to  the  stream.  Many  great  additions 
have  been  made  to  the  internal  accommodation.  The  entrance-hall  has  been  paneled 
with  carved  oak,  and  raised  to  the  height  of  the  second  storey,  and  there  is  a  handsome 
suite,  of  dining-room,  library,  two  drawing-rooms,  and  conservatory.  The  fitting  up 
of  the  interior  has  been  made  as  much  as  possible  to  correspond  with  the  style  of 
the  exterior,  which  is  intended  to  represent  the  Elizabethan  age.'' 


The  three  several  families  of  Cholmondeley,  Cholmeley,  and  Cholmley,  claim  each  a 
common  ancestry  in 

William  de  Cholmondeley,  the  head  of  the  house  in  the  reign  of  King  Henry  the 
Fourth.     His  second  son, 

John  Cholmeley,  the  ancestor  of  the  family  of  Easton  Hall,  had  two  sons,  both, 
strangely  as  it  seems  to  us,  named  John.     Of  these,  the  second, 

John  Cholmeley,  was  the  father  of 

Richard  Cholmeley,  who,  by  his  wife  Dionysia  PhiHps,  had  two  sons,  of  whom  the 
younger. 


74  EASTON    HALL. 

John  Cholmeley,  married  Isabel  Hare,  and  had 

(Sir)  Henry  Cholmeley,  of  Baston,  in  Lincolnshire.  He  was  knighted,  and  died 
in  1620,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  elder  son, 

Henry  Cholmeley,  of  Easton,  who  died  in  1632,  having  married  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Sir  Richard  Sondes,  of  Throwley,  and  had  a  son  and  heir, 

Montague  Cholmeley,  of  Easton,  who  died  in  1652.  He  was  father  of,  by  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Sir  Edward  Hartopp,  Bart.,  of  Buckminster, 

Montague  Cholmeley,  of  Easton,  who  married,  first,  Alice,  daughter  of  Sir  Edward 
Brownlow,  Bart.,  of  Great  Humby  in  the  same  county,  and  secondly,  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Richard  Booth,  Alderman  of  London,  a  cadet  of  the  family  of  Booth, 
Earl  of  Warrington,  and  was  followed  by  his  son, 

James  Cholmeley,  of  Easton,  who  died  in  1735.  He  married  Catherine  Woodfine, 
by  whom  he  had,  with  other  issue,  an  eldest  son, 

John  Cholmeley,  of  Easton,  who  died  in  1768.  He  married  Penelope,  daughter 
of  Sir  Joseph  Heme,  of  Twyford,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 

Montague  Cholmeley,  of  Easton,  married  to  Mary,  daughter  of  Humphrey  Sibthorpe, 
of  Canwick  Hall,  Lincolnshire,   and  had  an  heir. 

Sir  Montague  Cholmeley,  of  Easton,  born  in  1772,  M.P.  for  Grantham.  He  was 
created  a  Baronet,  March  4th.,  1806.  He  married  twice,  his  first  wife  being  (married 
September  14th.,  1801,)  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  Harrison,  Esq.,  of  Norton  Place, 
in  the  county  of  Lincoln,  and  had  issue,  of  whom  the  eldest  son. 

Sir  Montague  John  Cholmeley,  Baronet,  of  Easton  Hall  and  Norton  Place,  both 
in  the  same  county,  born  August  5th.,  1802,  married,  February  lOtli,,  1829,  Lady 
Georgiana  Beauclerk,  fifth  daughter  of  William,  eighth  Duke  of  St.  Albans,  and  had 
a  second  surviving  son, 

Hugh  Arthur  Cholmeley,  M.P.  for  Grantham,  born  in  October,  1839. 


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CL, 


PRESTON    HALL, 

NBAR   AYLESFORD,    KENT. — BRASSEY. 


Preston  Hall,  the  seat  of  Henry  A.  Brassey,  Esq.,  M.P.,  is  of  very  ancient  date, 
and  was  formerly  the  residence  of  the  Colpepper  family,  who  were  proprietors  of  the 
Preston  Hall  estate,  which  comprises  the  manors  of  Aylesford,  Eccles,  Tottington, 
and  Cossington.  The  estate  passed  from  them  to  the  Milners,  from  whom  it  was 
purchased  by  E.  L.  Betts,  Esq.  Since  that  time  the  old  mansion  has  been  removed, 
and  the  present  handsome  stone  edifice  erected  upon  a  more  elevated  but  not  far- 
distant  spot.  Near  the  site  of  the  old  hall  there  is  still  a  large  barn,  bearing  the 
initials    T.    C,  and  the  date  1102. 

The  parish  of  Aylesford  was  anciently  a  royal  demesne,  and  is  mentioned  as  such 
in  "Domesday  Book,"  and  within  it  the  families  of  De  Grey,  Wyatt,  Colpepper, 
Sedley,  and  Cosenton  resided  or  held  considerable  property. 

Ancient  Roman  and  other  relics  have  been  frequently  discovered  here.  About  the 
year  455,  a  battle  was  fought  here  between  the  Britons  and  Saxons,  in  which  both 
Catigern  and  Horsa  were  killed,  and  which  resulted  in  the  Saxons  leaving  the 
kingdom  for  some  time.  It  was  here  also  that  Edmund  Ironside  desisted  from  his 
pursuit  of  the  Danes  under  Canute;  and  upon  Blue  Bell  Hill,  in  the  immediate 
neighbourhood,  the  traces  of  ancient  military  entrenchments  are  still  discernible. 

In  the  possession  of  Druidical  remains  the  parish  of  Aylesford  is  also  remarkable. 
One  of  these,  a  cromlech,  named  Kit's  Coty  House,  is  described  as  being  "composed 
of  four  large  stones,  three  of  them  placed  in  an  upright  position,  one  across  at  the 
back  between  the  other  two,  forming  a  rude  shed,  and  the  fourth  lying  flat  upon 
the  top  of  them,  forming  a  roof.  The  two  outside  stones  are  each  about  eight  feet 
high,  eight  feet  broad,  and  two  feet  thick;  the  back  stone  is  not  so  broad,  but  of 
a  similar  height;  the  top  stone  is  about  eleven  feet  long,  eight  feet  broad  and 
two  feet  thick.  The  structure  is  capable  of  afibrding  shelter  to  several  persons.  It 
is  supposed  to  be  a  place  of  sepulture;  tradition  says  it  is  the  burial-place  of 
Catigern."  A  larger  structure  of  a  similar  kind  originally  stood  somewhat  nearer 
to  the  village  of  Aylesford,  but  having  fallen  down  at  some  period  unknown,  the 
stones  now  lie  in  a  confused  heap,  and  are  partly  overgrown  with  trees.  In  a  field 
close  by  the  Tottington  farm  buildings  many  large  stones  of  a  like  description  are 
scattered,  as  well  as  at  the  bottom  of  a  pond  upon  the  same  farm;  and  near  these 
a  solitary    flat  stone  of  huge  dimensions,  which,  from  its  shape,    is   called   the    Coffin. 


76  PRESTON    HALL. 

This  spot  was  evidently  one  of  much,  importance  among  tlie  Druids,  and  attracts 
many  visitors. 

The  church  at  Aylesford,  dedicated  to  St.  Peter,  is  a  handsome  structure  of  the 
fourteenth  century^  and  contains  several  ancient  and  costly  monuments  of  the  Col- 
peppers  and  Rycauts;  one  also  of  Sir  John  Banks,  Baronet,  who  died  in  1699.  The 
parish    register  dates  from  the  year  1653. 

A  building,  called  the  Friars,  still  existing  upon  the  bank  of  the  Medway,  was 
the  earliest  foundation  in  England  of  the  Carmelite  Friars,  who  were  brought  over 
by  Richard  de  Grey,  of  Codnor,  on  his  return  from  the  Holy  Land,  and  who  founded 
this  priory,  which  was  afterwards  dissolved  by  King  Henry  the  Eighth.  The  remains 
of  Richard,  Lord  Crey,  of  Codnor,  were  brought  from  Normandy  and  buried  here, 
as  were  also  those  of  other  members  of  that  family. 

New  National  Schools  were  erected  in  1872,  the  boys^  school  by  subscription, 
largely  aided  by  Mr.  Brassey,  who  presented  the  site  and  play-ground;  and  the 
girls'  school  was  built  solely  at  the  expense   of  that  gentleman. 


< 

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LAWTON    HALL, 

NEAR     CONGLETONj     CHESHIRE. LAWTON. 


This  mansiou  is  a  handsome  structure  of  considerable  extent. 

The  grounds  are  tastefully  laid  out^  extending  to  the  church  at  the  west  front  of 
the  housCj  and  contain  an  artificial  sheet  of  water. 

At  the  time  of  Edward  the  Confessor^  Lawton^  then  called  "Lautune/'  was  divided 
into  two  unequal  portions,  both  of  which  were  held  by  Godric,  and  both  became  the 
property  of  Hugo  de  Mara,  and  are  mentioned  in  the  Domesday  Survey. 

Hugo  de  Mara,  a  Fitz-Norman,  who  was  the  founder  of  the  Barony  of  Montalt, 
conferred  Lawton  on  the  Abbey  of  St.  Werburgh,  Chester. 

A  moiety  of  the  township  was  possessed  by  a  family  bearing  the  local  name  in  the 
time  of  Henry  the  Third,  and  which  frequently  occurs  in  grants  to  the  superior 
lords,  the  Abbots. 

On  the  dissolution  of  the  monasteries,  the  manor,  together  with  the  patronage  of 
the  church,  was  purchased  from  the  Crown,  in  1541,  by  William  Lawton,  of  Lawton. 

In  1552,  William  Lawton  was  found  to  have  held  the  Manor  of  Lawton,  with 
court-leet  and  free-warren,  and  the  advowson  of  the  church  of  Church  Lawton,  from 
the  King,  in  ca^pite,  by  military  service. 


Hugh  Lawton,  of  Lawton,  married  Isabella,  daughter  of  John  Madoc,  and  by  her 
had   issue 

John  Lawton,  who  married  and  died  in  the  lifetime  of  his  father,  leaving   an   only 
surviving  son, 

Richard  Lawton,  who  succeeded  his  grandfather,  and  was  himself  succeeded  by 

James  Lawton,  who  left  by  Eleonora,  daughter  of  Matthew  More,  a  son  and  heir, 

William   Lawton.     He  married   Katherine,   daughter   of   Thomas   Bellott,   Esq.,    of 
Moreton,  in  the  same  county. 

John  Lawton,  Esq.,  living   in    1580,  had  a   son,  by  his    second   wife,   daughter   of 
Fulke  Dutton,  Esq., 

William  Lawton,  Esq.,  whose  eldest  son, 

John  Lawton,  Esq.,    married  Clare,  daughter  of   Ralph  Sneyd,  Esq.,    of  Keele,   in 
the  county  of  Stafford,  and  left  a  son  and  successor, 

HI.  M 


78  •  LAWTON    HALL. 

William  Lawton,  Esq.,  who  served  the  office  of  High  Sheriflf  of  Cheshire,  in 
1672,  and  by  Hester,  daughter  of  Sir  Edward  Longueville,  Bart.,  left  at  his  death, 
in  1693,  a  son  and  heir, 

John  Lawton,  Esq.  He  married,  first,  Anne,  daughter  of  George,  younger  son  of 
Henry,  first  Earl  of  Manchester,  and  sister  of  Charles,  Earl  of  Halifax,  by  whom  he 
had  no  surviving  issue.  By  his  second  wife,  Mary,  relict  of  Sir  Edward  Longueville, 
Bart.,  he  left  a  son  and  successor, 

Robert  Lawton,  Esq.  He  was  Sherifi"  of  Cheshire  in  1754,  and  by  Sarah,  daughter 
of  John  Offley,  Esq.,  M.P.  for  the  County,  he  had  a  son  and  heir, 

John  Lawton,  Esq.,  who  married  Anne,  daughter  and  co-heiress  of  Charles  Crewe, 
Esq.,  M.P.  for  Cheshire,  by  whom  he  left  at  his  death,  in  1804,  four  sons,  and  was 
succeeded  by  the  eldest, 

William  Lawton,  Esq.,  who  died  without  issue,  when  the  estates  passed  to  his 
next  brother, 

Charles  Bourne  Lawton,  Esq.,  who  married,  first,  Anne,  daughter  of  Henry 
Featherstonhaugh,  Esq.,  of  Tooting,  in  Surrey,  and  secondly,  Mariana  Percy,  daughter 
of  William  Belcombe,  Esq.,  M.D.,  of  York.     He  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew, 

John  Lawton,  Esq.,  of  Lawton  Hall,  J.P.,  married,  1845,  Emily  Anne,  youngest 
daughter  of  Thomas  Legh,  Esq.,  of  Adlington,  and  had  by  her  a  son, 

William  John  Percy  Lawton,  Esq.,  of  Lawton  Hall,  born  December  27th.,  1849. 


ST.  MICHAEL'S    MOUNT. 


CORNWALL, — ST.  AUBYN^    BARONET. 


* 


This  is  a  truly  historical  place,  and  is  believed  to  liave  been  visited  by  the 
Phoenicians  of  old,  on  their  trading  visits  to  the  Ancient  Britons,  for  the  natural 
products  of  that  part  of  the  island. 

It  has  been  celebrated  for  long  ages  on  account  of  the  singularity  and  beauty  of 
its  situation,  as 

"That  beauteous  gem  set  in  the  silver  sea." 

It    derives   its   name   from   a    supposed   visit  of   the   Archangel    St.  Michael,  who  was 
supposed  to  have  honoured  it  with  his  presence. 
Here  for  some  time  lived 

"That  valiante  Cornisliinan 
"Who  slewe  ye  Giante  Cormoran." 

This  stronghold  was  first  taken  by  Henry  de  la  Pomeroy,  who  obtained  it  by 
stratagem,  and  held  it  for  John  against  his  brother  Eichard  the  First.  He  soon 
afterwards  died  from  fright,  fearing  the  consequences  of  his  rebellion. 

Part  of  the  building  is  believed  to  be  of  such  old  date  as  the  time  of  Edward  the 
Confessor.  The  most  interesting  portions  of  it  are  the  Guard  Room,  the  Refectory, 
or  Chevy  Chase  Room,  and  the  Chapel.  The  Refectory  remains  to  this  day  in  its 
original  state,  except  that  it  has  had  the  addition  of  a  splendidly  carved  roof  of 
English  oak. 

The  Service  of  the  Church  of  England  was  held  in  the  Chapel  by  the  last  pro- 
prietor.     One   of  the   pinnacles   on   its    tower   is    the   famous    St.  MichaeFs    Chair,   of 

*  See  View  on  the   Title-page. 


80  ST.  MICHAEL^  S    MOUNT. 

which  it  is  said  that  whoever  sits  therein  before  marriage  will  rule  either  wife  or 
husband,,  as  the  case  may  be. 

"Within  an  open  balcony, 

"That  hung  from  dizzy  pitch  and  high," 

Marmion. 

There  is  thus  much  foundation  of  truth  in  the  saying,  that  he  or  she  must  be  a 
person  of  strong  nerves  who  can  trust  himself  or  herself  to  the  giddy  height.  Not 
a  few,  however,  have  done  and  do  so.  It  may,  perhaps,  therefore  be  that  there  are 
more  strong-minded  persons  in  the  world  than  is  commonly  supposed. 


This  old  Cornish  family  is  now  represented  by 

Sir  Edward  St.  Aubyn,  Baronet,  so  created  July  31st.,  1866. 


B.  FAVrCETT,  ENGRAVER  AND  PRINTER,  DRIPFIELD. 


o 


Date  Due 

All  library  items  are  subject  to  recall  3  weeks  from 
the  original  date  stamped. 


JUN  ?  6  ?Mi 


.JPIMJ37 
MAR  1  B  ?nit 


Brigham  Young  University 


BRIGHAM  YOUNG  UNIVERSITY 


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